Strings Attached
by Egoistical
Summary: She was going to be a girl for a week. There was no way they were going to sit by and watch from the sidelines.
1. Chapter 1

She was up early, as usual, already showered and dressed for the day. Her mind was busy processing several different words from the English language while she spread a bit of butter across a piece of bread. Although her mind was seemingly elsewhere, she was not distracted from her morning tasks. She placed the knife with hints of butter still clinging to the metal in the sink where the plate and glass from her father's dinner last night also lingered. She would clean them after she ate later that night.

She was clad in the Ouran High School male uniform, the same one that had been given to her by her fellow Host Club members. Although they had provided her with the fine fabrics that she could never have afforded to purchase for herself, she was still forced to work off the costs of it – and the spare one – along with the vase that she had broken the first day of her attendance in Ouran High School as the only scholarship recipient. She seemed to have accumulated more than enough debt to leave her entangled in the affairs of the club until she graduated. Perhaps even after.

Despite the fact that she had to keep her true sex a secret, the concept of being mistaken as a male was not as tragic as another in her position might be led to believe. At least she wasn't forced to do odd jobs for the club. While she was originally meant to serve as a lackey, her natural charm and charisma led to a quick acceptance amongst the club rankings. Sure, she still had to purchase the club's highly favored drink, instant coffee, but such a pointless task paled in comparison to the ones she might have if she were not a host. She could only imagine what type of horrors she would suffer. Barely surviving the twin's antics now, she shuddered to think of what she would have to do under the service of all of the club members.

Somewhat satisfied with her knowledge of the English vocabulary (she had a test first period), she padded around the kitchen, collecting the various ingredients for her bento box and munching on the piece of bread. Having already cooked the rice, all she had to do was make the onigiris. While she expertly crafted the rice balls, a skill toned to perfection after having prepared her lunch ever since she was a child, her thoughts lingered to science. She had a test in that class today as well, but being ever so practical, she didn't fret about it. Instead, she actually felt a bit confident. She had only briefly studied the information, but she was sure that she would do fine. While science wasn't personally her strongest subject, she was still the best in her class. She was the best in all of the courses she took.

She had to be.

It was how she received the scholarship anyways. Ouran High School was defined by prestigious families and wealth. They didn't bother with the "common people" unless said common person was an extraordinarily gifted and or talented student. Haruhi Fujioka was exactly that. Gifted and talented with brains and an independent mind, she had passed the exams with flying colors and was thereby awarded the chance to attend the prestigious Ouran High School. All she had to do was stay the top in her class.

After finishing the last rice ball, she moved on to chopping up the carrots. Rapidly slicing the vegetables, her thoughts drifted back to English and she went over the terms once more in her head. It wouldn't hurt and she had nothing better to do.

* * *

She was one of the first people to arrive to class each morning, sitting in her seat and reading a spare novel that she carried in her book bag. She could easily finish a book in less than a few hours, but there were often too many things distracting her these days. Whether it was homework, chores, club duties, or just the interruptions caused by her fellow club members, reaching the next chapter seemed to take longer these days. 

Of course, she still had free time. There were occasions when she could leisurely read in peace. Sometimes, there would be a few minutes to read before she fell asleep. Occasionally, there were times during the host club when she could lose herself amongst the pages of a good book and ignore the coos of 'mermaid princess' that Tamaki wooed his designators with. Most rare, however, were the weekends when the Host Club didn't bother her and she could enjoy the silence, a good book, and the warm spring – nearing summer - days.

Today, she had arrived fifteen minutes before class started. There were only four other people in the room. Three guys and another girl. The guys, whom she really didn't associate with, ignored her presence altogether. They'd emit boisterous laughs occasionally, but never once did this break her concentration on the paper bound book she held in her hands.

The girl, on the other hand, was one who visited the Host Club as often as she could. She was, perhaps, the most envied one amongst her friends. She was in the class with _three_ of the members! Sighing dreamily as she admired the lovely features of Haruhi Fujioka, she let her gaze lower to the novel in the cross-dresser's hands.

_'He's so smart!'_ she thought, _'I am too lucky to be graced with such a handsome and intellectual and charming and...'_

Haruhi turned the page as the rest of the class started to file into the room. Some lingered around their friend's desks, others started to take their books and supplies out of their bags, while a few busily tried to copy their friend's homework before the teacher walked into the room.

Oblivious to some things, but highly aware of others, Haruhi was unaffected when she felt two sets of strong arms wrap themselves around her. Actually, she had started to rely on this daily ritual of theirs as an alarm of sorts.

"Haruhiiiiiii," her name was chorused by the most mischievous students of, perhaps, the entire school.

She stuffed her novel into her book bag and started to withdraw her supplies for class to the best of her abilities while still entangled within the embrace of her captors.

"So cold," one voice said.

The other voice, perfected to be indistinguishable, replied with, "Hasn't seen us in so long and doesn't even provide a greeting."

"Whatever shall we do, Kaoru?"

"I don't know, Hikaru," followed by a humming sound.

Haruhi didn't need even need to see the wry smiles plastered across two equally identical faces to know of their existence.

_Three, two, one..._

"Kaoru, Hikaru, please remove yourselves from Fujioka."

The Hitachiin twins whined a bit, but released the cross-dresser from their confines and took their seats as the teacher started to set up in front of the classroom.

After a few moments of securing her possessions on top of her desk, the teacher moved towards the center until she was positioned directly in front of the class behind her wooden podium.

"I am aware that this chapter has been extremely _difficult._ This chapter is perhaps the single _most challenging_ one we'll cover in this class, but I am positive each and every one of you will do fine with this exam, despite the lack of time we have had to review. Especially since I'm sure no one would be so foolish as to not study," the teacher said as she gazed around the classroom with a serious expression.

Hikaru and Kaoru gazed at one another with blank expressions. Both were thinking the same thing: _'What test?'_

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. 


	2. Chapter 2

"Your handwriting sucks," Hikaru said to Haruhi. She was placed, as usual, in the center between him his twin, Kaoru.

Haruhi looked up at him with a curious expression.

"Don't mind him, Haruhi," Kaoru said, slightly amused.

His brother's words were true though. Haruhi did have horrendous writing. Kaoru had seen five-year olds with better handwriting than their female companion possessed. They were sure, though, that she'd at least land them a passing score.

"Let us buy you lunch," Kaoru said as they moved farther up the lunch line where the school-hired professional cooks awaited with elegantly prepared meals of expensive dishes and various foods.

"Huh, why?" Haruhi asked. She looked down at the bento box which she held between her hands, "I already have my own."

"You'd really pass up our offering of free food?" Hikaru asked with a mischievous grin. While one might say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, Haruhi certainly applied to the rule despite her gender. Although... maybe her sense of style played some part.

"Yes, think of all those poor children around the world that aren't allowed the chance to eat. How selfish you are, Haruhi!" Kaoru said with mock teary eyes.

"I doubt that they'd be expecting flawlessly cooked steaks," Haruhi mused aloud.

Hikaru and Kaoru shrugged at the same time, "Suit yourself."

They were next in line.

Haruhi glanced at her simply-wrapped lunch and then back at the two innocent looking twins.

The twins turned around and were just about to move up to place their orders when Haruhi's mumbled words of defeat caught their attention, "... Maybe just this once."

It didn't take too long for the twins to place their orders, receive the food, and pay for everything. Hikaru had decided to carry Haruhi's plate as well, despite the fact all three of them knew she could (and would) carry it, but was not one who would openly complain either. She just acknowledged the act and let an unspoken thank you linger until the three of them sat down at an empty table.

Although she could leave certain things be, she could not, however, ignore the stranger-than-usual behavior the twins were participating in.

"Why did the two of you buy lunch for me?" Haruhi asked, picking up a piece of meat with her chopsticks.

"Just paying back a favor," Kaoru replied cryptically with a grin. Hikaru had already stuffed food into his mouth and was therefore incapable of answering.

"Ah."

_'She's so easy to please,'_ the twins thought, shooting each other a smirk over her head.

Before they could start on their food once more, the shout of '_Haruhiiii!'_ could be heard throughout the entire cafeteria. They all knew who the voice belonged to. A certain blond haired club president who seemed to barge in most unexpectedly (all the time).

Said blond haired prince had just latched onto his 'darling daughter' and was squeezing the girl in a tight embrace.

"Daddy has missed you so much, Haruhi!" Tamaki Suoh whaled and flailed about with the cross-dressing female in his arms. Kaoru and Hikaru had to scoot farther away from the girl to avoid being hit, but continued to eat their food as if the older male hadn't appeared.

"We saw each other Saturday," Haruhi replied, taking a deep breath when Tamaki finally released her.

"Yes, but it's been a whole day since you've seen my lovely face. No one should be deprived of that! A crime, I say," Tamaki replied dramatically with an elegant pose. The sound of girls swooning nearby could be heard while others squealed in delight and soaked up the image.

"Haru-chan!" Hunny exclaimed as he and Mori walked up to the table. The two were followed by Kyoya Ootori who Haruhi knew very well as the 'Shadow King'.

"Hello," Haruhi greeted warmly as she acknowledged the newcomers who took their seats at the table.

"Seeing as we're all here," Kyoya started, "there's something we need to discuss."

Haruhi looked over at the 'cool-type' of their group and mentally groaned. Whenever Kyoya had something to talk about, it usually pertained to her debt or some activity that would be later added to her debt because of all the 'misfortunes' that she seemed to suffer during such an activity. She had only recently paid back the debt that she had acquired after the beach incident. '_The flowers better have been good!'_

"Mother has been very busy organizing our club trip!"

"Club ... trip?" Haruhi questioned as her gaze fixated onto the violet-eyed 'prince'.

"It's only natural that after such hard work and commitment towards club activities that we should be allowed rest and relaxation!" Tamaki replied with a handsome smile.

"Besides, what exactly do you think we _do_ with the club funds?" Kyoya asked as he raised his glasses further up the bridge of his nose with a delicate push from his index finger.

"Buying tea sets and purchasing costumes?" Haruhi questioned dryly.

Kyoya waved his hand effortlessly in the air, "Trivial things that pale in comparison to the club's profits."

_'So basically,'_ Haruhi thought to herself, _'the debt I've accumulated –_ (correcting herself) _still am accumulating – is going towards a trip that will probably only even add more to my debt? This seems to be a never ending cycle!'_

"Where are we going?" the twins asked simultaneously.

Kyoya smiled, "After much consideration and research..."

"A week on my family's cruise ship!" Tamaki loudly interrupted, ruining the Shadow Prince's dramatic presentation.

Haruhi nearly fell over, and it wasn't just from the evil aura that Kyoya was emitting.

Her thoughts of _'a whole week with these guys?_' were drowned out by Hunny's enthusiastic cheers and the rest of the club's approval.

* * *

Ever since the lunch break had ended, Haruhi Fujioka had been running on autopilot. She couldn't even remember how she did on the science exam; one that she had been confident about, but would worry over later because the only thought running through her mind at that moment was '_a week_.' 

She'd be spending _a week_, confined on a cruise ship, with her fellow host club members. Two tricksters, a personal accountant (that only focused on how much she owed), a brooding shadow, his overenthusiastic charge, and the dramatic host club president.

There had been a brief moment of inspiration. She had thought that the cruise might not be a mandatory event. Any such idea was shot down when she had asked Kyoya. Then again, he hadn't said _anything_ about illness and or injury. Perhaps she could 'come down' with a disease such as mad cow or cancer. She was intelligent, creative... she could get out of this. Maybe she'd 'fall down' a stairway and break her leg.

"Oh, Haruhi! I just heard the wonderful news and I decided to go shopping and get you some cute bikinis and dresses and a nice skirt. You'll look just so adorable in pink!"

Or _maybe _she'd just push her father down a stairway and claim she had to take care of him until he felt better.

Haruhi glided past her father's open arms as she entered the apartment, shutting the door behind her. She slipped off her shoes, ignoring her father's mumble of, "such a cold daughter!"

"I assume you and Kyoya spoke sometime during the day?" Haruhi asked as she headed towards her bedroom. She'd put down her book bag and then she would get started on dinner. Since her father was home, she'd have to cook the extra fish that she would have otherwise used for her lunch the next day. It was doubtful that the twins would be so generous again, but she had no complaints about their stranger than usual behavior. The food had been too good.

"Of course, since my daughter doesn't talk to me about school," Ranka said before dramatically adding, "a father worries so!"

Haruhi couldn't see how her father and Tamaki didn't get along. They were both embarrassing, too interested in her life, and extremely self absorbed. Tamaki more-so than her father, but the similarities were strikingly obvious.

"Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes," Haruhi said loud enough so her father could hear. She placed her supplies on top of her desk and decided that she would change out of her uniform after she had started cooking dinner.

"Alright!" her father called back, wondering if she'd noticed the shopping bags on her bed yet. If she hadn't yet, she'd certainly be delighted when she found out. After all, what girl wouldn't be happy with a father that had such great taste?

Haruhi, however, was totally oblivious to the shopping bags placed neatly on her bed. It wasn't until after she had eaten dinner, cleared the table, cleaned the dishes, changed into something suitable for bed, and had finished her homework that she actually realized there were bags of clothes from her father's shopping spree earlier that day.

She curiously peered into the bag and then lowered her hand into it, grasping onto something...

"Eh?!" Haruhi exclaimed at the frilly pink strapless dress in her hands.

Her father had already slipped off, deciding that he'd go to work anyways. With a "thanks for dinner, sweetie!" and a brief hug, he'd been off through the door. Now she knew why.

It wasn't a horrible dress. She wouldn't mind wearing it, but she wouldn't have bought it for herself had she seen it in a store. While her father did have a sense of what was 'in' these days, she did not. If he hadn't purchased her clothes for the trip, she would have probably ended up with something the twins didn't approve of. Not that she would have cared what she was dressed in, but she could do without the twins treating her like their very own life size doll and providing her with their mother's new designs. Plus, they always ended up replacing clothing that didn't meet their expectations and she never saw the "crimes against fashion" ever again. She'd lost over three shirts, two pairs of pants, and a pair of shoes to the twins alone.

In the closet, there was an empty suitcase that once belonged to her mother. It was black, a roll-around type, but it was still in good shape despite the years it had seen. Her mother had used it only three or so times. While Kotoko's work didn't cause her to travel so often, there were a few trips that had caused the talented lawyer to live out of a suitcase.

Spending a week alone with just the host club was not the only reason she didn't want to leave. While a three week school holiday started next week, the same week they'd be leaving for a 'relaxing seven day cruise' meant that there wasn't going to be missed tests or piles of homework to worry about, her real concern involved her father and their home.

Ever since she was little, she had stopped relying on others. She figured that, without her mother to keep the family together, she would have to do it. Although he was her father and she loved and cared for him very much, Ryoji Fujioka had never exactly been parent of the year material. She knew he followed her to the supermarket, pretending to be clueless whenever he was caught.

How was he going to manage with her gone for a week? She couldn't expect him, after so many years of her being the one in charge, to simply take over while she was off with her friends for a lengthy period of time. It was selfish and even though she knew her father would deny it, the truth was evident to them both.

She sighed and collapsed onto her bed, suddenly growing weary of her thoughts. She had another week to figure things out.


	3. Chapter 3

The doors of the third music room closed with an audible slam as the last of the designator's left the room, taking with them not only satisfied smiles and dreams of charming young men (and a cross-dresser), but also the Host Club's latest piece of merchandise; pictures of Tamaki throughout his day, complete with a fancy title, "The Prince of Dawn", plastered across the cover of a glossy magazine.

Haruhi picked up the tea cups and plates of delicate china that her designators had left behind. There were still remnants of frosting lingering on the forks they had used. Instant coffee pooled at the bottom of the beautiful cups, slipping from side to side as they were lifted and placed onto the serving platter.

"Rich bastards," Haruhi couldn't help muttering to herself as she balanced the serving platter in her hands. She'd mastered balance after a month or so of serving in the Host Club and could easily carry costly pieces of silverware and plates without worry.

Hunny was still eating his cake, smiling contently to himself and chatting away with his cousin, Mori, through mouthfuls of the rich pastries. Despite the lack of refinery possessed in stuffing one's face of sweets, it was obvious that Hunny had definitely mastered cuteness. He still looked incredibly precious with his animated hand gestures as he went on about how great the cruise would be.

Mori nodded at his cousin every so often throughout the conversation, ensuring that the shorter boy still had his attention.

"I wonder if Haruhi will wear a cute bathing suit," Hunny wondered aloud innocently, but the movements that both the twins and the club president made did not go unnoticed.

"Actually," Haruhi said as she reentered the room, free of the serving platter, "my father purchased some bikinis and other clothes for the trip."

The twins shot each other a mischievous look. They approved of Ranka's sense. If Haruhi's cross-dressing father had purchased it, they wouldn't have to worry about raiding her suitcase, providing her with a completely new wardrobe, or tossing her old clothes overboard.

"And we had already picked out that nice white bikini," Kaoru said.

"I bet it would look better on Haruhi than the one Ranka-san picked out," Hikaru added.

"But," the twins lamented, "it might be for the best. My lord would certainly find the whole thing indecent."

This was followed by laughter as Kaoru added, "Isn't that the point?"

Tamaki, who had been lost in his inner theater at Hunny's earlier words of Haruhi in a bathing suit, was snapped back to reality and already yanking on the twin's shirts as they tried to get away.

Haruhi, who was ignoring the antics of her club members, moved over to the Shadow King's table where he was busily typing away on his laptop.

"Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi started, "I don't think I can go on this trip."

Kyoya Ootori, who was currently adding the day's profits into the club's finance section, didn't look up at Haruhi's words. Had it been any other person besides Haruhi, they would have felt that the 'cool-type' was ignoring their presence all together.

"My father... he would not be able to manage without me for an entire week."

"A week isn't that long, Haruhi," Kyoya replied as he calculated the amount of designators who had asked for Morinozuka, "you should put some faith in your father."

"Would you?" she asked bluntly.

Kyoya stopped typing, saved the document, and finally turned to face her.

"I think Ranka-san deserves more credit than you give him."

Haruhi maintained a placid expression for a minute as she thought about his words. Kyoya trailed his eyes across her face, waiting for a reaction.

"Are you sure of that, senpai?"

As the 'cool-type' of the club, Kyoya was never one to lose his cool. He almost lost it just then over the pure fact that the sole female of their club had just thrown his elegant and calculated words back at him. He wouldn't have trusted Ranka with control over his home, but he doubted Haruhi would want that answer. He could just imagine his reply of, "Ranka-san would probably burn down the manor and cause every member of the staff to quit. The Ootori private army would probably have him placed under attack-on-site if he went anywhere near the manor. So no, I would definitely not put any faith whatsoever in your father despite the fact he provides me with a very nice collection of you in a more... feminine stage of life."

But of course, he actually wanted the whole Host Club to be in attendance when they set launch for a seven day cruise and not devoid of their 'natural-type' because of the concern she had for her home-life.

Deciding that the best solution to the problem was to pull out his cellphone, rapidly dial a number, and wait a few seconds as he was put on hold.

"Senpai...?" Haruhi asked. She looked at the Shadow King with large eyes and a confused expression.

He held up a hand, signaling her to be quiet, as a voice greeted him on the other line.

"Assign someone to the Fujioka Residence to start tomorrow. One week. Got it? Good," Kyoya snapped the phone shut and placed it back into his pocket.

"What was that about?" Haruhi asked as her eyes slanted in an accusing glare.

"Nothing that will affect your debt," was her reply.

Haruhi let out a relieved sigh, "But who exactly are you sending to my house?"

"A maid."


	4. Chapter 4

Pursed lips, calculating eyes, and a hand situated upon her hip; Risa Keno stood in the living room of the Fujioka residence. She had been assigned to the small apartment complex for a week, starting today. Looking around the moderately sized room, her eyes swooped across the table surfaces, up to the light fixtures, and then back down to the floor.

_'I can work with this_, she thought after her quick inspection. Whoever was in charge of the cleaning had done a job worthy of approval.

"Excuse me?"

Risa whipped around, surprised that she had been caught off guard.

"Miss Fujioka!" Risa exclaimed, providing the startled girl with a deep bow.

Haruhi looked at the woman in front of her. She was dressed in a crisp, clean maid uniform with an 'Ootori' patch on her right breast. She figured this was the person who Kyoya had sent in as her replacement of sorts. But how had she managed to get into the apartment? Maybe she had been give a spare key. Kyoya, after all, had invaded every aspect of her life. He probably had an Ootori Investigative Agency set up to track her.

"Thank you for coming, Miss..." Haruhi started, but extended the sentence as she waited for the other woman to provide her name.

The maid raised herself from the bow, "Risa. Risa Keno."

"Well, Miss Keno, my father is currently asleep at the moment, so perhaps we should discuss -"

"No need, Haruhi," Ranka interrupted as he joined the two women standing in the center of his living room. He held a hand to his head trying to stable himself and calm the pounding headache. He was incredibly hungover from last night's drinking session with his buddies. Thankfully Haruhi had already been asleep when he stumbled in drunk only a few hours ago.

Risa turned to face the man she'd otherwise be babysitting for the entire week and pressed her lips together as if in a disapproving manner. The data she had collected while researching the Fujioka family and their lifestyle had her prepared, but she hadn't suspected the cross-dressing father would be hung over when they finally met in person. Disappointing indeed.

"Daddy has a headache. Would you mind, Haruhi?"

Haruhi nodded and was about to fetch some painkillers from the kitchen, but a blur bypassed her before she could even take her first step.

"Here you are, Mr. Fujioka," Risa said as she presented a glass of water and two tablets to the stunned cross-dresser.

Haruhi looked at the maid with a stunned look which then melted into a disbelieving gaze. The woman was better suited for the Ootori private army than the Ootori cleaning crew!

_'I guess I won't have to worry too much about being gone,' _Haruhi thought to herself as she watched her father down the two tablets and the water.

"Have you already packed for your trip, Miss Fujioka?" Risa inquired as she turned to face the young woman again.

"Ah," Haruhi said with a smile, "yes, I have."

Risa nodded and moved towards Haruhi's bedroom despite the reassurance.

"Eh?" Haruhi looked at the woman's retreating back as she disappeared into her bedroom.

"Master Kyoya would like to ensure that Miss Fujioka will have the proper attire for the cruise," the maid replied as she spotted Haruhi's suitcase and unzipped it.

The clothes were neatly organized and packed delicately inside the black rolling bag. On top of the clothes was a bag full of toiletries. Risa placed those on the side, acknowledging the travel toothbrush that was in a separate baggy from the other objects. _'Smart girl,'_ Risa acknowledged and let her hands wander onto the dresses that she pulled out. Then the skirt. Then the tops. Then the underwear. Then the bikinis.

"Don't worry, I already checked over everything while she was at school yesterday," Ranka said as he stood in the doorway behind his daughter and rubbed the top of his head. The ache in his head was finally beginning to disappear.

The maid smiled, despite the fact her back was facing the two that stood in the doorway. Perhaps Ryoji Fujioka did deserve more credit than people gave him.

"And since Hikaru and Kaoru sent over that cute little white bikini, I had to put that in too!"

Haruhi looked at her father with the same disbelieving look that she had given the maid only moments before.

Risa placed everything back into the suitcase, stood up, and grabbed the cellphone that was tucked into the folds of her uniform. She hastily let her fingers fly across the number pad and placed the device against her ear, reminding Haruhi of a certain Shadow King with each action the maid performed.

"Everything is in order. She's ready," Risa said before snapping the phone shut and replacing the phone back into the folds of her uniform.

Before she could ask what was going on, the sound of the front door being thrown open caused her to back up against the wall in fear.

"Haruhi," two voices called in a sickly sweet voice that was laced with a hint of mischievousness. Hikaru and Kaoru swept into the house in search of the girl they were ordered to pick up (abduct). They stopped when they finally spotted her, pressed up against the wall in surprise. Ranka, who had been somewhat blocking his daughter from his position in the doorway, moved to the side so they had a better glimpse of her.

"I thought you said she was ready," Hikaru said dully as he looked at the maid.

"She is ready," the maid confirmed as she glanced over the girl again. Her items were packed, she was dressed, and was as prepared as one could be for a week away from home.

"That's not ready! Look at that outfit! And her hair! Definitely not good enough," Kaoru said as he tossed his head dramatically to face his brother.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Haruhi said with a dark look. She didn't particularly enjoy it when her club members spoke as if she wasn't there.

"Nothing we can't fix!" the two brothers said, grinning madly.

Haruhi didn't even get a moment's warning before they had pounced.

As for Ranka and Risa, the two had stepped out of the room, completely ignoring the girl's cries of protest.

"How about some tea?" Risa asked.


	5. Chapter 5

It was another warm spring-nearing-summer morning. The temperature was slightly hotter compared to the previous days. Although it was still early, the sun shined brightly, and it was an ideal day for a bike ride or a trip to the beach. The flawless air conditioning system inside the limousine kept its occupants cool as the sleek, black automobile traveled toward its destination.

Pressed in between the two twins, Haruhi toyed with her hair. It was the same style that she had worn for her outing with Hikaru; pigtails with a touch of curl. That day seemed so long passed already. She was wearing one of Mrs. Hitachiin's more earlier designs. The dress was white, strapless, and ended a few inches above her knees.

The twins, although satisfied with the clothing she was bringing on the trip, were not so reluctant to let their female companion travel with them in such drab fashion as she had previously donned. Thankfully, her previous clothes (a green t-shirt and baggy beige shorts), were safe at home and tucked away in the sanctuary of her drawer.

On her wrist was an array of colorful bracelets. It was in a rainbow pattern. Red, orange, yellow, and so on. The bracelets were the only colorful thing she was wearing, she realized, as she looked down at the white flip-flops situated on her feet.

"So cute," Tamaki said with watery eyes as he admired his "daughter's" most recent look. He hadn't stopped the teary-eyed expression ever since they had left her apartment.

"See, my lord, that's why you didn't get to fetch her and we did," Hikaru said as he wrapped his arm securely around Haruhi and snuggled her cheek affectionately. She continued to look forward, staring at Kyoya as he typed loudly on his laptop.

"Did you really have to bring that along?" Haruhi asked, giving the laptop a skeptical gaze, "After all, isn't this another 'group bonding' activity?"

"He's bonding with his laptop," Kaoru interjected with a grin.

Kyoya ignored the comment, choosing to only acknowledge Haruhi's statement, "This isn't another 'group bonding' activity. It is merely a vacation in which we are not expected to woo women with our charms."

Haruhi gave a somewhat satisfied shrug before leaning back into her seat with a bored sigh. She had grown used to the familiar embraces of the twins and wasn't as uncomfortable as she would have been a few months ago, entangled in their almost possessive-like grasp. She was almost able to completely ignore it. Her eyes drifted to the other side of the limo where Mori and Hunny sat together. Hunny was looking out the window next to him with a bright smile, but had nothing to say. Mori sat somberly, looking out the same window as Hunny with an expressionless face.

Hikaru was comfortably resting against the girl. His arms were wrapped around her waist, brushing up against his twin's side. Kaoru was in a similar position and seemed to be equally content with his arms wrapped around their favorite "toy". The atmosphere in the limousine wasn't tense or anything, but nobody was talking. It was _boring_.

It was too difficult to bait Kyoya into arguing with him and his brother. The guy was obsessed with his laptop! Hikaru glared at the stupid pineapple logo on the back of the expensive device. Maybe, during the trip, the laptop would suddenly "go missing", only to end up at the bottom of the ocean. Or maybe it would travel into some unsuspecting person's suitcase. That would definitely storm up a great deal of confusion... and fun!

"Yaaaay! We're here! We're here!" Hunny shouted excitedly, bouncing in his seat, as the limousine began to slow to a stop.

Haruhi glanced out the window, immediately spotting the white giant docked nearby.

The cruise ship was more than she had expected. And after being surrounded by such... eccentric people for such a lengthy period of time, she had already expected a lot from the beginning. Had she been standing directly next to it, looking up, she was sure her neck would have bent in a ninety-degrees angle.

The limousine driver appeared to open the door, the one located nearest to Hunny. The blond senior cheerfully bounced out, followed by his cousin's less enthusiastic movements.

Kyoya snapped his laptop shut, and shifted the device so it was tucked under his arm. He slid gracefully across the leather seats until he was out of the door.

Tamaki, who had finally snapped back to reality after a long session of being lost in his inner-mind theater, stared at the three freshmen who remained in their seats. The two twins waited for the club's president to leave, confining Haruhi to her seat. Realizing that he wasn't going to win, Tamaki exited the limousine.

Kaoru shot his brother a small victory smirk that went unnoticed by the girl stuck between them.

The remaining three had successfully slid out of the limousine, still attached to each other. Haruhi had managed to provide the driver a sincere "thank you" despite being dragged, at the same time, towards the ship where the other guys were waiting.

Three men, all dressed in matching white tuxedos, jogged past them as they finally joined the rest of the club members.

Haruhi twisted in the twin's arms so she could catch a glimpse of the men that were unloading their luggage from the trunk.

_'So they must be part of the staff,' _Haruhi thought as she watched them take out the twin's luggage first. The two of them, although claiming they were "sharing luggage", had brought along five different, large suitcases. Her single, black suitcase felt extremely insignificant compared to the amount of items her fellow club member's had stored away in the expensive bags.

The sun was brighter than she remembered, Haruhi realized. She couldn't even shield her eyes because the twins still clung to her arms, restricting her movement. Her right arm was starting to fall asleep. Unlike Kaoru's somewhat lax grip on her left, Hikaru had wrapped around her right arm like iron. Her gaze drifted over to Tamaki who looked as comfortable as ever with a pair of dark shades resting upon the bridge of his nose.

As soon as Tamaki had started talking about the ship, Haruhi had tuned out. She looked around some more, her eyes roaming across the area. There were people wandering about, some already boarding the ship. Everyone appeared to be first-class material. Some even went so far as to have servants or assistants trail a short distance behind them. There were still people, like the Host Club, that were just arriving in pricey vehicles and limousines. She noticed that there were plenty of the ship's crew wandering around, assisting the newcomers with their luggage or directing people towards the ship.

"My lord, your speech is boring our toy," Hikaru said as soon as he noticed Haruhi's wandering eyes. She wasn't paying attention to the club president, but neither had he or his twin. They were watching her curious and thoughtful gaze.

"Uh," Tamaki said as he backed up at the bored expressions plastered across everyone's face. He regained his posture, deciding that he wouldn't let the twins get the best of him, "... well let's go on board!"

Hunny was the first one on the ship, running excitedly past a woman who pressed the small dog she was carrying to her breast in surprise. Mori politely excused his cousin, but strolled past her as well.

The rest of the host club patiently allowed the woman and her dog to continue their ascent before making their way up the ramp in pursuit of the two seniors.

The ship was even more amazing when one was on it. The brief view she had gotten from just staring from below did no justice. There were over a hundred people already on the deck. Some were with their families, some alone, some with (what she assumed) business parties, but she couldn't see any other group of teenage friends like the ones she was with. She wondered if _they_ looked out of place.

With a side glance at her group - all stylishly dressed, handsome, young men with an elegant air despite the unique characteristics she had discovered in each over the past months - the thought flipped itself overboard. Probably already sunk to the bottom of the ocean, too.

"Let's go to our rooms!" Tamaki voice rang enthusiastically, shaking Haruhi from her thoughts.

"Hikaru and I get to share with Haruhi, right?" Kaoru inquired in a teasing tone.

Tamaki's face went red before exploding at the younger twin, "NO! DADDY WON'T ALLOW HIS DARLING DAUGHTER'S INNOCENCE AND PURITY TO BE DISTURBED!"

"Because my lord wants to keep that pleasure for himself," Hikaru joked.

Haruhi looked at the turned heads that were facing her group's direction. The club president's outburst had captured the attention of a few of the ship's guests. It wouldn't be good to draw too much attention on just the first day. The familiar thought of, _'I can't believe I'm stuck with these guys for seven days,' _lingered in her mind.

Tamaki's face remained red, but more so out of embarrassment. He stuttered out, "...N-no, that isn't it!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes, pushing the slow moving 'prince-type' along with one hand guiding him. His other arm continued to cradle his laptop securely against him.

Their rooms were thankfully, and conveniently located as close to the deck as possible. Haruhi figured it was Tamaki's father, Mr. Suoh, who had made the arrangements for his son and his friends.

"So it'll be Mori and Hunny in room 4290, Kaoru and Hikaru in room 4291, and ..." Tamaki trailed off as he looked at the keys in his hand. 4293 was the room he and Kyoya would have resided, but then that left Haruhi...

"Haruhi can stay with us!" Kaoru and Hikaru practically throttled the blond for their key, noticing he had not secured enough rooms to meet his plans.

"I thought I had asked father for four rooms," Tamaki said, looking confused and lost in thought. It wasn't until a few moments after it had occurred that he realized he was only holding two keys instead of the three. He should have had four...

"HEY WAIT!" Tamaki said as the door to 4291 was slammed shut and locked with a "click."

Kyoya grabbed the key for 4293 from his angry companion, opened the door with a sigh, and closed it behind him before making his way to the bed. He would have to see if he could come up with a convincing plan to swap Tamaki with Haruhi. If not, he doubted he'd be getting much sleep this week.


	6. Chapter 6

Room 4291 was probably the size, if not slightly bigger, than the apartment she and her father shared. The walls were a smooth white while the carpet was a dark shade of navy blue. There were two beds. Both had sheets that matched the dark carpet along with soft, white pillows resting comfortably at the head of each bed. On the side of the room, there was a walk-in-closet the size of most people's garages. The bathroom, however, was almost as big as the room they had been assigned.

As for her roommates...

Haruhi glanced at the two brothers that were busily claiming the closet as their own. Although the twins were only one of the three choices of who she could be rooming with, she was sure they were her best bet overall. Despite the fact that her suitcase would now be vulnerable to their judgmental hands, she was positive her other options wouldn't have been any better.

Her first choice should have been with Hunny and Mori, but not only did she not want to pressure the two seniors into sleeping with each other (despite the fact that the beds were humongous), Haruhi also did not want to, by chance, face the evil side of Mitsukuni Haninozuka when woken up too early. The same reason also applied to rooming with the Shadow King. Not only that, but she highly doubted Kyoya would sleep in the same bed as Tamaki. Ever. So, her only choice would have been the one she ended up with. Besides, since the twins only used one bed and had no qualms about sharing, she was free to enjoy the other bed for herself.

It was just a few minutes after noon when the twins had _finally_ finished their unpacking and had moved onto Haruhi's suitcase. The girl was already resting comfortably on the bed, snuggled into one of the fluffy white pillows.

"Haruhi," Kaoru called to the girl whose face was buried into her pillow, "I'll put your stuff in this drawer."

Haruhi acknowledged his words with a muffled snore.

Hikaru wandered over to his brothers side with not only Haruhi's suitcase, but also one of the five that they had dragged with them. They had planned a whole new wardrobe for their female friend ever since the day Kyoya had announced the trip they'd be taking.

"Hey, look, Ranka-san packed the white bikini," Kaoru said with a grin as he dangled the top from one of its strings. Hikaru laughed and gave him a thumbs up, obviously pleased that their friend's father had put the piece in.

They continued to place Haruhi's clothes into the drawer, letting the girl enjoy her nap for awhile more.

In room 4293, Tamaki was pacing. A hand was pressed against his head, massaging his temples as he turned in the opposite direction for the eighty-ninth time. Kyoya had only recently begun counting. He had his back propped comfortably against the headboard of his bed as he typed on his laptop.

"Tamaki," Kyoya said, becoming annoyed with his friend's behavior.

Tamaki looked up mid-step at the 'cool-type's interruption.

"Which bed would Haruhi occupy had she actually decided to room with us?" Kyoya asked in a bored tone, deciding the blond finally needed to see the light.

"Isn't it natural for daughters to stay with their fathers?" Tamaki inquired in a sad tone.

Kyoya merely shook his head and sighed, deeming his friend truly hopeless. He decided against slamming his laptop against the club president's skull. He wouldn't want his laptop damaged even though he could have another delivered to replace it in less than an hour.

"If father didn't book four rooms like I asked, then I wonder who's in 4292," Tamaki mused to himself.

"Why don't you go see?" Kyoya asked with a hint of sarcasm lacing the words as he checked the news section of the web page.

Tamaki's violet eyes seemed to light up at the suggestion. He could have hugged Kyoya, but instead, he bounced out the door while humming to himself.

Kyoya, although used to his friend's antics, was willing to humor himself by getting up and watching what the 'prince-type' would do next.

As Kyoya walked through the doorway and into the hall, he watched Tamaki who stood in front of the door leading into 4292. The door of 4290 opened and Hunny and Mori stepped out into the hallway, spotting their two club members in the process.

"Tama-chan!" Tamaki whipped around to face Hunny with a surprised expression. The little senior bounded his way across the few feet separating them, but stopped inches away from hurtling into the younger man. "What is Tama-chan doing?"

Tamaki sent the shorter blond a grin and said, "I'm going to see who our neighbor in 4292 is!"

Before Tamaki could knock on the door, however, the door to 4291 opened and the twins emerged with a sleepy Haruhi dragged between them.

"My daughter!" Tamaki cried, launching himself at the girl and snatching her from the two brothers in the process.

"My lord," Hikaru said in an annoyed tone, "you woke up Haruhi with the commotion you were making."

"It's okay," Haruhi said reassuringly, "I didn't mean to fall asleep anyways. The bed is so comfy!"

She was smiling in such an adorable fashion that Tamaki couldn't help himself from tearing up and proclaiming, "How cute! Haruhi sleeps in such a commoner bed at home that she isn't used to the finery we know!"

Haruhi sent the blond a dull look.

"Excuse me," a soft voice said. The Host Club slowly turned to face the slightly open door of 4292. The soft voice continued, realizing that it had gotten the attention of those that stood outside the door, "but would you please-"

"Tetsuya!" a gruff, familiar voice called from inside the room.

"Kasanoda-kun?" Haruhi inquired, recognizing the familiar voice that had erupted inside the room.

"Eh?!" the rest of the Host Club nearly fell backwards, realizing that the occupant of 4292 was the son and successor of a yakuza family. One that had a crush on their female companion, who for once, was actually dressed as a female...

Ritsu Kasanoda pushed Tetsuya, his friend and underling, gently aside as he opened the door. Seeing Haruhi Fujioka, his crush and the girl he had loudly claimed his "best friend forever", unexpectedly standing in front of him, Kasanoda started to blush. She was dressed like a girl for once, looking very cute in a white dress with colorful bracelets on her wrist. He gulped, trying to form words with his suddenly dry mouth.

"H-hi..." Kasanoda was finally able to stutter out as he took in the sight before him.

"Hello, Kasanoda-kun," Haruhi replied with a kind smile, incredibly oblivious to his cheeks that were turning as red as his hair.

"What are you doing here, Bossa Nova-kun?" Hikaru asked as he grabbed Haruhi's arm. He was looking at the red-headed man in front of him with an annoyed glare.

Kasanoda backed up at the intense expressions the two Hitachiins were shooting at him, but replied, "There's a business meeting that my father wanted me to attend in his place."

Tamaki, who had reverted back to inner mind theater, was thinking of his father's ship being infested by scary yakuza leaders and their brutal underlings.

"At least Casanova-kun already knows Haru-chan's secret," Hunny said cheerfully, trying to warm up the suddenly arctic atmosphere that Tamaki and the twins were creating. Even Kyoya seemed a bit darker than he should have been. His cousin, Mori, however, was sporting an indifferent expression, but even Hunny knew the tall senior was less than pleased that there was one of Haruhi's admirers located in close proximity of her – the next room over.

"Yes," Haruhi said pleasantly oblivious to her group's discomfort, "it would be inconvenient if we ran into other students from Ouran. Thankfully it was only Kasanoda-kun, and he already knows."

"And Kasanoda-kun would never be so foolish as to allow a slip of the tongue to occur, would he?" Kyoya Ootori inquired coolly as a gleam passed across his glasses.

The youngest Ootori's son statement was enough to send Kasanoda backing up into his room.

"Well," Haruhi said, "we'd best leave Kasanoda-kun to his business. We're headed to the banquet hall for lunch."

The club was half-expecting the girl to extend an invitation to the scary-eyed red-head.

"See you later, Kasanoda-kun," Haruhi said to the blushing red-head before turning to his underling, "Bye, Sendo-kun."

"Good bye," Tetsuya said, noticing that his master and friend was feeling uncomfortable under not only the threatening gazes from the Host Club, but also the blood that had rushed to his cheeks.

The Host Club provided their goodbyes, and then, under the lead of Tamaki, they departed for the banquet hall.

"That's Fujioka-san?" Tetsuya asked. He had thought that Haruhi Fujioka had been a boy. He was _sure_ he had been a boy.

"Yeah," Ritsu said as he closed the door of 4292 and dragged himself towards the bed.

"Wow... no wonder you locked yourself in your room after meeting her," Tetsuya said thoughtfully, recalling his master's isolated behavior after having attended the Host Club months ago.

Ritsu let out a weak laugh, "I never expected for her to be next door to me on a cruise though!"

"It must be fate," Tetsuya said with a bright, optimistic smile. He would help his master spend time with the Fujioka girl. He wanted his friend to be happy, and she had seemed nice.


	7. Chapter 7

The expensive chandeliers that hung from the tall ceiling provided a truly romantic lighting. Wrapped in the finest fabrics of dark blue, the silverware reflected brief glimmers of light from an array of expensive candles spread across the top of each table. The tables themselves were blanketed by cloths of snowy white. The fabric of the tablecloths provided a fine sensation for idle hands that sought rest atop the surface of the covered wood. Across the room, on a stage, nimble fingers flew expertly across the keys of a piano while the audience provided a soft applause after each performance.

Somewhere, in the midst of the sea of tables, waiters and waitresses, and incredible people, there sat the Ouran High School Host Club, all of whom were equally incredible people. The blond haired "prince-type" maintained a charming smile as he lifted a glass of clear liquid to his lips. The adorable child-like "loli-shota" had traces of cake lingering clfose to his lips. Ever so calculating, the "cool-type" sipped his soup (extra spicy) while observing the group with a calm gaze. Two, identical "little devils" cuddled their toy, the "natural", with extra affection. Somber, yet observant, the "wild-type" sat and watched the events unfold.

"Takashi," Hunny said as he looked at his cousin with a bubbly smile, "would you like some cake?"

"... No," Takashi Morinozuka replied, watching the cheerful blond pop a forkful of vanilla frosting into his mouth.

"It's not as good as I thought it'd taste," Haruhi admitted as she let her shoulders slump. She gulped down a bit of water, trying to rid the foul taste from her mouth.

"And you remained in the Host Club just for it," Kaoru joked as he watched the girl's face twist.

"I told you already, I didn't stay just for the ootoro."

"But it was a major contributing factor, wasn't it?" Hikaru added.

Haruhi shrugged the comment off and looked at Tamaki who had seemingly drifted off into another world of piano keys and music sheets. The soft sounds that filled the banquet hall seemed to have a deep affect on the Host Club's president. He was a talented pianist himself, but the expertly executed sounds must have truly touched him.

"I don't see why father hired this man. Even I could play better than him," Tamaki finally said, taking another sip from his water.

Haruhi could feel her eye twitching. She should have known better.

"Haru-chan!" Hunny said from across the table. He looked at the girl with a happy smile.

"Yes, Hunny-senpai?" Haruhi inquired.

"Do you want to go swimming after we eat?"

"In an hour," Takashi added for his cousin.

Hunny sent a pout at Takashi, "That's so long!"

"An hour."

Hunny sighed and finished off the last of his cake, knowing he wouldn't win the argument.

"That sounds fine," Haruhi said, reassuringly, as the blond senior's face lit up at her agreement.

"I guess I'd better go change then," Haruhi said as she stood up to leave.

"We'll come with you," the two twins added in a deadpanned tone.

Kyoya slapped a hand across Tamaki's mouth before the blond could start bellowing. He would have to try and get the two brothers to lay off on teasing the club president because he doubted the Host Club King would tone down his ranting. Anything concerning the sole-female of their group would provoke him to go off on a rant.

"I don't think that's necessary," Haruhi replied in a flat voice.

The twins tossed an arm, each, across her shoulders before saying, "We've got to change too."

"Considering everyone seems to possess the desire to go swimming, we'll meet at the pool in an hour," Kyoya said as he patted his lips dry with his napkin, his other hand still covering his friend's mouth. The blond's face had turned a deep crimson, but Kyoya was unmoved by the struggles and muffled protests.

"Come on Takashi!" Hunny said as he stood from his seat after finishing off the last of the cake. Takashi nodded and rose from his seat to follow his cousin back to their room. The two twins had already dragged Haruhi away with them, so Kyoya and the blond were left alone.

Noticing that the blond's face was reverting back to a more natural shade, Kyoya removed his hand and wiped it on his napkin.

"For future reference, I'd prefer not having to wipe your saliva off my hand."

"Mother is so mean!" Tamaki cried out in protest.

"We aren't at Ouran at the moment, Tamaki," Kyoya said, "you know it's unwise to capture the eye of the public. This is our future world."

"But that doesn't mean I can allow those poltergeists to dangle off her for the whole week!" Tamaki said, slumping down into the Victorian-styled seat.

Kyoya shrugged, "That's not our top concern at the time."

"Yeah," Tamaki admitted with a dry laugh. He tilted his head back and emitted a deep sigh.

Halfway across the ship, in room 4291, Kaoru and Hikaru were busily digging through Haruhi's drawer.

"I don't remember bringing so many things," Haruhi said as she looked at the small opening between the two twins. Hikaru had just picked up something pink and lacy, but she had only caught a brief glimpse of it.

"Maybe Ranka-san added them," Kaoru offered, grinning. His back was turned and it was unlikely that she had caught the look on his face.

"It means you have more options to choose from!" Hikaru added.

Haruhi rolled her eyes, "As long as you didn't toss any of the clothes I brought with me overboard."

"Us?" Hikaru asked, faking a hurt expression at her accusation.

"We'd never!" Kaoru proclaimed, finally grabbing the item he was looking for.

Kaoru and Hikaru both turned around, holding out one piece of the bikini in each hand with a, "ta-da!"

"I know I _definitely_ did not pack that," Haruhi said as she stared at the two.

Hikaru was holding the top piece of the white bikini. There was a dog tag attached to the string in the center which held the piece together. The bottom, which Kaoru held up, was a simple white bikini bottom with the words "Hitachiin" written elegantly across the butt in silver.

Haruhi leaned in closer, practically pressing her face against the bikini top in order to read the small font printed across the tag.

"Property of Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin..."

Hikaru and Kaoru burst out into wide grins.

"Come on, go put it on!" Hikaru said, extending his piece to Haruhi.

Haruhi shook her head, "Why can't I just wear one that I originally packed?"

"Those are so boring," Kaoru replied, "besides, don't you like this one more?"

"No."

Hikaru and Kaoru who had been prepared for that answer, decided that it was time to proceed with their "Plan B".

"But," Hikaru said, tears forming in his eyes, "this is one of our first designs."

"We've never made one for anyone else, ever. Just for ourselves," Kaoru replied, lowering his gaze to the bikini bottom in his hands as if recalling memories of the time when all they had was each other.

"You're the first person, besides us, to ever receive one of our designs, and the first thing you do is throw it back in our faces?" Hikaru continued, feeling the liquid pour from his eyes.

Haruhi glanced at the two twins, as if finally beginning to sympathize with their problem. "Can't I wear the other white one you gave me?" Haruhi asked.

"That's the one mother made!" the twins wailed, "_Everyone_ loves mother's designs."

"_We_ made this one," Hikaru said, with a forced hiccup as he held up the bikini top towards her.

"And we slaved over it, with you in mind. We thought you'd love it... but you hate it... you hate us," Kaoru sobbed.

Haruhi looked at the two twins, truly fooled by their act, "I'll wear it. I didn't know it meant so much to the two of you."

"You're such a good friend!" Kaoru and Hikaru cried out together, wrapping themselves around the girl and pressing the bikini into her arms. They let her wander off to the bathroom in a daze as they held each other tightly, emitting a few more sobs and hiccups for good measure.

Haruhi could only nod in a stupor before shutting the bathroom door behind her. She would do this for her friends.

Kaoru and Hikaru stopped their tears and rubbed their eyes.

"My lord is rather useful," Kaoru said to his twin, "we never would have learned how to perform such dramatics and cry at the same time without him."

Hikaru shrugged, hating to admit he needed anyone for anything, especially the idiot king, "I'm sure we could've found a way."

"Well," Kaoru said with a knowing smile dancing across his lips, "let's get changed."


	8. Chapter 8

Hikaru, Haruhi, and Kaoru were each well known for their tardiness. While the twins were the last to arrive to class (barely making it through the door with their smug expressions before the teacher started to take roll), Haruhi was most commonly known for her late appearances to club activities. So, when the three of them were together, one hfad to expect that they would all be undoubtedly late.

As if to live up to everyone's expectations, the three youngest members of the Host Club decided to join the rest of their friends at the poolside nearly fifteen minutes after the agreed time. The sun still hung high overhead, seeing as it was only just before three in the afternoon. They still had a few hours to enjoy a dip in the pool which, thankfully, wasn't as busy as they first assumed it would be with the slightly warmer than usual weather.

Tamaki had been the first to react to Haruhi's most recent attire. At first it had been in a truly positive manner (jaw drop, inner mind theater session, etc). That is, until she had turned around to place her items on one of the empty lounge chairs and he was provided with a good look at her backside.

"My lord is acting very naughty indeed," Kaoru said with a sly grin as he noticed where Tamaki's gaze had landed.

Tamaki could feel his blood bubble at the sight of the label plastered across his darling daughter's rear and the taunting, identical expressions he knew the twins both sported. With Kyoya's warning from lunchtime still fresh in his mind, Tamaki decided to restrain himself against causing a scene. He could always kill the twins later, in the privacy of their rooms, for treating his darling daughter like they did.

Kyoya lifted a hand to his head in an exhausted manner, feeling an ache begin to take shape beneath his fingertips. He could see the blond's face turning a dark shade of red, accompanied by shaking and the tightening of fists. There weren't too many people around the pool and he definitely did not see any truly important or notable business figures. Nevertheless, the youngest Ootori son would have to get around to having that conversation with the twins about limiting their teasing.

"Haru-chan is so pretty!" Hunny said as he bounced over to the girl. Haruhi had just finished putting down her items as she turned to greet the senior with a warm smile.

Hunny, who had once admitted that he could not swim, was content with the inflatable inner tube that circled his slim waist. It was made of plastic and tinted a light green color. On the front of the tube, a white bunny head could be seen sticking out while pink flowers decorated the sides. It was the epitome of cuteness. Most girls would proclaim how adorable he was, but Haruhi could only provide her friend a smile as he spun in a circle, showing off his inner tube.

"Isn't Haru-chan pretty, Takashi?" Hunny inquired of the tall senior, noticing the somber gaze that had fallen on the girl.

Takashi Morinozuka, who had known his cousin for several years, was well aware of what the shorter boy was trying to do. Deciding to end the game that Hunny was intent on playing, Takashi merely gave a "yes" in reply. No blushing, no shifting from foot to foot, no signs of embarrassment or emotion in general.

A few feet away, Hikaru, who had stealthily slid next to Tamaki, whispered into the blond's ear, "Have you seen what the tag on Haruhi's top reads?"

Tamaki shook his head and fixed a questioning gaze on the silver dog tag that glinted off of Haruhi's top.

"What do you think looks prettiest about Haru-chan, Takashi?" Hunny asked, deciding to push his luck.

"Haruhi's a beautiful person," Takashi replied. Haruhi, being Haruhi, didn't even blush, but just looked between the two seniors with a thoughtful gaze that let them know she was trying to decipher the situation.

With his face turned away from Haruhi, Hunny looked at his cousin with an uncharacteristic, blank stare before reverting back to his normally chipper self. The stare had been extremely brief, and one had to have great observation skills to even notice it. Takashi, who did indeed have great observation skills, and knew exactly what his cousin's reasons were, remained silent and emotionless as he always did.

Hunny had turned his attention back to the girl in front of him, clasping his hand around her wrist.

"Let's go swim, Haru-chan!" Hunny said cheerfully, dragging the girl behind him and towards the pool at an enthusiastic speed.

Haruhi could only follow behind with wide eyes, barely able to keep her feet on the ground as she was tugged mercilessly behind the martial artist. Even though it looked like he couldn't hurt a fly with his "loli-shota" persona, Hunny was a lean, mean, killing machine when he needed to be. The steel grip on her arm was only a hint at his true power.

_'Was Hunny-senpai trying to say that he and Mori-senpai actually like the bikini?'_ Haruhi wondered curiously, still thinking about the events that had taken place moments ago, _'Maybe I should ask the twins to make them an outfit because they seem to enjoy their designs. That should make Hikaru and Kaoru happy, especially since it might get them off **my** back...'_

Haruhi, who read emotions like most four-year olds read Shakespeare, was extremely off when it came to the two cousins and their feelings. However, Haruhi wasn't allowed any more time to ponder the situation as she felt herself take flight. Why were her club members, the pool boys, the lounge chairs, and the pool becoming smaller...?

"Mitsukuni," came the deep voice of his cousin, "you overdid it."

Hunny tilted his head to look at his cousin with an accusing glare, "You like her."

"You threw her too high," Takashi clarified, ignoring his cousin's comment.

It was common knowledge, "what goes up most come down." Haruhi had learned the laws of gravity as a child. During science class, the students would gather around the window to toss out objects of varying sizes to test how fast the items fell. At recess, Haruhi had tested her knowledge while observing the small ball she and her friends would toss around. However, Haruhi had never expected to experience such common knowledge at extreme heights. Especially not on her supposed vacation.

"Oh!" Hunny exclaimed, finally noticing the girl that was rapidly nearing the water below. She donned a calm, thoughtful expression which would have caused the twins to crack up and proclaim how fearless their fellow underclassmen was had they not been too busy calling out her name in worry.

Kaoru and Hikaru panicked as Haruhi fell through the surface of the water. Tamaki screamed out, "HARUHI!", running towards the pool with Kaoru and Hikaru at his side. The three had jumped into the pool, intent on saving the girl from her "demise." Takashi had jumped in as well, leaving his cousin on the side to watch the four swim towards where Haruhi had fallen.

Haruhi, an average swimmer, had never been extremely reliant on others. As she swam to the surface to take a few deep breaths, her eyes opened widely, spotting the men that surrounded her in confusion.

"I didn't know you all wanted to swim so badly," Haruhi finally commented observantly as she stared at the twins, the senior, and the club president that were circled around her. Each wore a disbelieving expression at her unaffected being.

Hikaru, always so quick to act, slapped his hand at the water, causing the liquid to splash in Haruhi's face.

"Hey!" Haruhi cried out in protest, ducking beneath the water's surface to prevent herself from being splashed again.

Kaoru, relieved that she was okay, looked between his brother and Haruhi before then letting his gaze drift to the senior and the blond that were still staring at the girl. Kaoru made a mental note of the situation, but let it slide as he joined the water fight that had erupted between Haruhi and Hikaru.

Hunny had jumped in shortly after to join in the "splash-match" that was taking place, but Kyoya decided to lounge on one of the chairs, sipping at a glass of lemonade and reading the magazine that one of the waiters had brought by.

* * *

While the friend's enjoyed the relaxing water and the peaceful atmosphere provided by an endless stretch of ocean surrounding them, Ryoji Fujioka was not so relaxed, happy, or comfortable by any means.

"Is this necessary?" Ryoji asked as he tilted his head to the side, observing the woman in front of him.

"The young master was clear in his orders that I must ensure cleanliness in the Fujioka residence," came the reply.

"But is _this_," Ryoji craned his neck, indicating his arms that were tied behind his back, "really necessary?"

"Young master Ootori stated that I must take any means necessary."

"Isn't this overdoing it?" he inquired, shifting about for comfort purposes.

"_Any_ means necessary," she repeated.

Risa Keno, who stood delicately atop a wooden chair as she dusted the light fixture hanging overhead, hummed softly to herself, inspecting every so often for any traces or remnants of dust.

Ryoji sighed and leaned his head back to stare at the paneled ceiling. He really needed a drink. He'd needed a drink ever since his hangover had ended hours ago. A nice, strong drink to make him forget about this day ever happening.

Mere seconds after his daughter had been dragged out of the house by the two twins, he had seen the expertly concealed, pure evil, of the Ootori maid that was now currently dusting the ceiling fan.

Earlier, he had sent his daughter off with a cheerful wave before shutting the door and turning to go back to the bedroom for a few more hours of rest. Taken by surprise as a blur of movement tackled him, pinning his arms behind him, the okama hadn't had the time to put up too much of an effective struggle against the smaller woman. She had confined his arms with a sturdy rope that he hadn't even noticed before. Finally satisfied that he wouldn't be able to escape, she had dragged the frantic cross-dresser over to a chair where he had remained for the past, several hours.

"What if I need to pee?" was one of the first questions he had asked.

The maid had only held up a glass jar in reply before turning back to her cleaning.

He'd been pelting the woman with questions ever since. At first it was out of worry for his wellbeing, but then he discovered she wasn't going to do anything more than threaten him and tie him up. After his most pressing questions had been answered, he'd started on some to piss her off. Then, after another hour or so of random questions, he was dreadfully bored. Deciding he had nothing better to do, he had just asked her general questions about herself. That, of course, had ended shortly after it began. Tired of hearing her talk in her short, five-word max replies, he'd started talking about himself, his life, his daughter, his job, and pretty much anything in general in hopes of winning over the stern maid.

Not that it had worked, though. If anything, he'd only provided her with more reasons to keep him confined to the chair.

And then his drinking buddies had called him up, asking him if he wanted to go out for another trip to the bar. It was his day off from work after all. Besides, it was a weekly, Sunday ritual to get smashed!

When Risa had picked up the phone, wiping it with a disinfectant cloth before placing it next to her ear, she had been very displeased to hear who had been on the other end and what was required of Ryoji.

"He is currently indisposed," she had said before slamming the phone back onto its receiver and returning to her chores.

And that's how things were at the Fujioka residence.


	9. Chapter 9

Kyoya was experiencing a familiar sense of deja vu after having risen from his nap. It was a deep slumber that he hadn't necessarily known he'd indulged himself in until he had actually awoken from it, but it _had_ been a good rest for his tired eyes and aching head. The sun was beginning to lower, but there was still a sufficient amount of light which allowed the third and youngest Ootori son to notice his visibly darker skin. He was surprised that he wasn't as red as a tomato from foolishly falling asleep under the merciless sun. It was almost as idiotic as falling asleep in that commoner mall, but at least he had been in a comfortable position this time around.

Emitting a yawn and a graceless stretch, Kyoya realized that he was in dire need of a back massage. His neck hurt like a bi-...

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of shrieking children, enjoying some last minutes of fun in the pool before they were collected for dinner. Said shrieks went unappreciated by the now noticeably tanned Shadow King. It was obvious that the young boys and girls had been dropped into the care of their family's maids. He could see several of the women, clad in uncomfortable uniforms, standing under the warm, setting sun as they watched their young charges with watchful and attentive eyes.

The pool was noticeably less busy than it had been earlier in the afternoon, but there were still a handful of people scattered about. Some younger females were talking amongst themselves, sending the ever so occasional glance and blush combination in his general direction. Kyoya tried to ignore their giggles when they noticed he had actually caught onto their "game".

"You're up," came a calm voice from beside him.

Kyoya turned to face a sleepy-eyed Haruhi who was busily rubbing her cheek.

"How long have I been asleep?" Kyoya wondered aloud.

"About four hours," came the nonchalant reply.

_'If it has been four hours_,' Kyoya thought to himself, '_that means it's sometime near seven_.'

Looking around, he noticed that she was the only Host Club member still present. Curious, Kyoya voiced his observation to the petite brunette.

"Well," she looked at him with a patient expression, "someone had to stay by your side and make sure you didn't get sunburned." He looked at her with a blank stare as she continued, "Besides, nobody really wanted to wake you up. Hikaru and Kaoru were going on about something like a 'low blood pressure demon lord', but I didn't really ask."

Kyoya thought the act was very considerate of her and he was grateful that she had made an effort to ensure his wellbeing. However, the "low blood pressure demon lord" couldn't help but feel disappointed that Haruhi had rubbed her gentle hands across his body during the process of applying the suntan lotion while he had been _asleep_. Such a waste.

"And where, may I ask, did our dear companions frolic off too?" he inquired dryly. He didn't really mind so much. After all, they had left him with the most agreeable companion. Actually, she had probably stayed on her own freewill. The others would have left him to burn and he could just imagine the twins plotting to draw on his face, or worse, cause him to form some creatively distasteful tan marks. He could already see the profane words and ridiculous designs littering his skin.

"They went to get ready for dinner. Had to take their showers and change their clothes," Haruhi said, leaning back into the lounge chair that she was sitting on.

He noticed she had not swapped her outfit for something more decent, but was still dressed in the twin's bikini. The silver dog tag dangling from the top caught his attention, and he found himself leaning in closer to her upper-body area to read the small print engraved in the silver.

Haruhi didn't seem extremely concerned when the dark-haired boy neared her with a curious expression. His eyes weren't even focused on her face at all. Acknowledging that he was just reading the only piece of the bikini that she truly didn't enjoy, she didn't bother to bat him away with a flushed face.

As Kyoya read the words on the tag, he realized he would definitely be tracking down the twins later, cornering them in a dark room, and using techniques that he'd rather not share on the identical brothers in order to "persuade" them to cease their antics until they at, the very least, arrived back home.

"Do you like the bikini, Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi asked after he had satisfied his curiosity. The innocent question was not spoken suggestively or seductively, but Kyoya couldn't help but rethink her words and run them through his head over and over.

He rather did like the bikini. She looked better than he had thought she would; exposing a fair amount of skin to the world. He had been equally pleased when Tamaki, her self-proclaimed father, had not come equipped with a hideous outfit to make her change into. Although she wasn't extremely blessed in the chest region, the twins had been clever enough to solve her problem with a bit of padding.

"It suits you," he said coolly.

"Ah," she murmured, and he was left to wonder if she had been expecting more praise. She didn't seem truly affected by his comment, but he hesitated from speaking further.

_'I guess I can't bum Kyoya off to Kaoru and Hikaru,' _she thought, _'then they would have Hunny-senpai, Mori-senpai, and Kyoya-senpai to design clothes for and dress up.'_

Kyoya leaned back into his lounge chair once more. The warm air, accompanied by a cool breeze, provided the perfect weather which he sought to enjoy. Not that he would so foolishly fall asleep once more, but if Haruhi would stay by his side (he rather enjoyed her presence), he truly wouldn't have minded dozing off for another few minutes...

"Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi interrupted the downward motion his slightly drooping eyes had been making, "perhaps we should go join Tamaki-senpai and the others for dinner?"

"Perhaps. Do you need to change?" he asked.

It wasn't that he wanted her to change. She could attend dinner in her swimming attire for all he cared. Though... he doubted any of the other Host Club members would be focusing much on their food if she did that. He could always tell her he'd cut her debt by a half if she just remained in the two-piece get up for the rest of the week.

"Ah," she said, "that's a good idea."

Kyoya waited for her to continue, to stand, or do _something_. She hadn't even dragged the sentence out. Did she, perhaps, want to wander around in the bikini? He wasn't going to be one to complain, and he doubted that any of the men in the banquet hall would, but he wasn't so sure about the publicity his group would receive. He could already hear his father's disapproving tone, imagine the scandalizing photos that might pop up in the tabloids, see his friend's faces as their sole-female companion joined them for dinner in nothing but a bikini and flip flops.

"But...?" Kyoya questioned.

"The twins have the key to the room and they're probably already stuffing their faces in the banquet hall."

Ah, yes, that would be a problem, Kyoya decided.

"Follow me," Kyoya said, standing up. The girl lifted herself to her feet, grabbed her items – sunscreen, towel, a small novel – before following him towards the room he shared with Tamaki.

They didn't have to walk far before they arrived at the familiar hallway. Thankfully, Mr. Suoh had been considerate enough to provide his son's friends with rooms conveniently located next to the deck. Although there had been some communication errors involving the amount of rooms that needed to be reserved, Kyoya was still pleased that he didn't have to travel such a great distance.

_'Speaking of errors,'_ Kyoya thought, as the door to 4292 swung open and the redhead, Ritsu Kasanoda, and his brunette haired underling, Tetsuya Sendo, walked out.

Tetsuya, who was busy closing the door behind him and his master, was surprised to hear the shallow, hitched breaths his companion was emitting.

"Are you alright?" Tetsuya inquired. Noticing the surprised look on his master's face, he followed the wide eyed gaze toward the girl that stood only a few feet away. Tetsuya was then perfectly aware as to why the future yakuza leader was reacting in such a way.

"Hello, Kasanoda-kun," Haruhi said, noticing the redhead and his companion, "Hello Sedo-kun."

"Fu...ji...o...ka..." Ritsu managed to get out as he took in her appearance. His legs felt like _jelly_.

Kyoya would have glared daggers at the man, but he didn't want to spare him any more time to ogle the female at his side. Inserting his card key into the door's automatic slot, he withdrew it, twisted the handle, and dragged Haruhi inside without even providing a goodbye.

Haruhi, inclined to be polite, had managed out a "bye" before the door was abruptly shut behind her.

Kyoya was not surprised to see that the room was lacking the presence of one Tamaki Suoh, but did not grieve over his absence. Instead, Kyoya walked over to the drawer where his clothing was stored (the blond had puppy-eyed for the closet) and slid it open.

Letting his eyes flicker momentarily across the clothing stored inside, he decided on a pair of black boxers and a large, white t-shirt. He tossed them rather carelessly in the girl's direction.

"Put those on," Kyoya said, appreciating the fact that she hadn't missed the catch and was holding the bundle against her chest.

She was, he noted, hesitating to put the clothing on.

"What's wrong?" Kyoya asked.

"How much is this going to cost me?" she asked, gazing at him with her large, chocolate eyes.

He could've rolled his eyes at the question. Did she really think he was based solely on keeping her in debt? Well, at times, he did find it incredibly amusing. However, it was not something that had crossed his mind at that particular moment.

"Nothing," he said, but stopped. He actually did want _something_. "Not money, anyways."

"What do you want?" she asked, shifting the fabric of the boxers between her fingertips. It was made out of rich material, and she was surprised when he didn't decide to add it to her already mind boggling debt.

What he really wanted to do was to turn off the lights and toss her onto the bed. He wanted to hear her gasp in surprise as she landed underneath him, staring at him with that blank stare that she had given him so many months ago in his summerhouse. He wanted to lean in with his face close to hers so she could feel his breath, warm against her cheek. He wanted her to tell him there would be no merits involved.

"I want a back massage," Kyoya replied. His neck was still killing him. He wanted to add, "in your bikini," but held his tongue.

Haruhi provided him with a half shrug, "Then you'll have to get on the bed and remove your top."

Unlike the rest of the club members who had dressed in their swim trunks, Kyoya had decided to go with a pair of beige shorts and a white shirt. He hadn't had any intention of swimming to begin with. He complied with her orders, removing his shirt and tossing it onto the floor next to the bed. He ignored her blank that she fixated on the discarded shirt. After all, the cleanup crew had been hired for a reason.

As much as he would have loved to say, "How about _you_ get on the bed and I'll remove your top for you," the Shadow King merely slid onto his bed and relaxed his body against the comfortable mattress. It wasn't as comfortable as his bed back home, but it was incredibly better than some hard lounge chair.

He was facing the door, his feet resting comfortably at the head of the bed. Because it was such a large bed - even with his height - his feet did not graze the wood of the headboard.

He felt the springs of the bed being pressed down by the added weight as Haruhi climbed on. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed his suspicions. She was kneeling over his body, a concentrated expression on her face. He dropped his head back against the comforter as he felt her press her surprisingly warm hands against his back and start to rub circles into the skin.

Haruhi was thinking about how much the professionals charged for massages. After all, if the wealthy were so keen on visiting spas for facials and back rubs, they obviously had to be pricey. While she was not a professional, kneading someone's back like dough was not very difficult. Kyoya wasn't saying anything scathing about her lack of experience for such a thing.

_'If being a lawyer doesn't work out,'_ Haruhi joked to herself, but didn't laugh.

Contrary to the brunette's beliefs of herself being a poorly skilled massager, Kyoya was immensely enjoying the idea, and feeling, of a bikini clad female ridding him of his tensed feeling.

So, as Kyoya relaxed; his face pressed into the cool sheets, he thought of the different ways he could convince Haruhi into doing something like this again.

Haruhi, although emitting an aura of concentration and thoughtfulness, the only thoughts running through her mind were that of food and how she would be reluctant to try any more rich "delicacies" after her taste of the disgustingly unappealing ootoro that she had eaten for lunch.

She began to ease further up his back, distracting him from the pain he felt earlier with her touches. He let his mind wander onto things other than the usual business strategies (scheming and manipulation). He thought of how late they would be to dinner, what he would say to calm and soothe the Host Club member's worried thoughts before he, too, gained a headache. He wondered if Haruhi's soft hands could rub away those familiar aches he felt after a long day. He was sure they could.

But most of all, Kyoya thought of how cliché it would be for his best friend to walk through the door.

And long after Haruhi had climbed off the bed and he'd offer her the chance to take a shower – she had asked him if she'd be owing him for that too, but he'd only scoffed and told her take it or leave it (his "charity" was limited) – Kyoya didn't feel the least bit guilty.


	10. Chapter 10

After Haruhi had emerged from the bathroom; the remnants of chlorine and the stickiness of the sunscreen upon her skin no longer an issue, she had discovered Kyoya lounging on his bed, watching some news station on the plasma-screen television situated on the wall across from him.

The shower had been pleasant enough. She had successfully managed to steer clear of the expensive hair products and body wash which, she assumed, mostly belonged to the blond haired "prince-type". Besides, she could always take another shower in the morning or, if she felt like it, when she returned to her room.

Her small frame was practically drowning in the clothing Kyoya had provided her with. The large t-shirt could have passed as a skimpy dress and the boxers kept slipping down her slender hips. However, she was well aware of the saying that "beggars can't be choosers". Nevertheless, she was still grateful that she wasn't solely clad in the twin's bikini anymore.

Kyoya, on the other hand, was admiring how good the brunette-haired female in front of him looked in his clothes. His gaze lingered on her a little longer than necessary.

Haruhi's stomach growled rather loudly at that moment, intermingling with the sound of the weather report. She let her eyes drop to her center as if she could see the offending body part through the fabric and skin.

"I'll take a quick shower, then we'll meet up with Tamaki and the others," Kyoya said as he slid from the bed.

Haruhi nodded and claimed his deserted spot on the bed, picking up the small novel that she had brought with her to pass some time at the poolside. She could always get a few more chapters in.

It was nearing eight when Haruhi and Kyoya finally joined their fellow club members in the dining hall. Most of the ship's guests had already retreated back to their rooms for the night or had indulged in other activities. Being the first day, most of the guests were exhausted and ready to turn in, but there were a few people that chose to engage in exercising at the gym, a few laps in the pool, or drinking themselves silly. Some merely socialized with other unoccupied guests.

The Host Club had managed to claim the same table that they had occupied at lunch time, making them easy to spot amongst the sea of tables. There were two empty chairs: one for Haruhi in between the twins, and one for Kyoya next to Tamaki. The two took their assumed seats, ignoring the curious expressions that their fellow members had fixated on them.

"What are you wearing?" Hikaru asked dully as he examined Haruhi's outfit. He had already finished eating when she arrived, choosing to twist an unused spoon in between his fingers. Light from the dimmed chandeliers and the flickering candles ricocheted off the metal eating utensil.

"Kyoya lent me some of his clothes," Haruhi explained, "since I didn't have access to my own."

"Mother is so thoughtful!" Tamaki praised the "cool-type" as he shifted his attention from Haruhi to Kyoya and back again to Haruhi.

Hunny was enjoying his thirty-fourth slice of cake. It was a vanilla cake with strawberry frosting, and it tasted even better than the slice of chocolate-chocolate cake he had just finished. To top it all off, the pleasant atmosphere seemed to have returned. His fellow club members weren't complaining about how bored they were or whining about the two other missing members. Takashi could only agree with the smile that had crept up onto his cousin's face. Everything was back to normal with the whole club present.

Kyoya beckoned over a stray waiter.

"We thought you were just going to stay on deck for the night and then we'd have the whole room to ourselves," Kaoru teased, resting his head on Haruhi's shoulder while Hikaru wrapped his arms around her in a snug embrace.

Tamaki scowled at the two, but the twins just sent back wild grins.

The waiter approached the group, inquiring politely, "Can I get you anything?"

Kyoya ordered a water and a spicy fish dish while Haruhi, who also asked for a water, decided she'd go with pasta. Spaghetti, to be exact.

The waiter nodded attentively before wandering away to drop off their orders.

"How was your nap?" Tamaki inquired of his friend, leaning back into his chair with a genuine look of curiosity on his face.

"It was decent," Kyoya replied. At first, when he had realized that he'd been abandoned by his fellow club members only to be left with the sole female, his first course of action had been to come up with some way to retaliate and get even. After the very relaxing back massage, courtesy of said female, he was only too content to leave things be.

"What are we doing tomorrow, Tama-chan?" Hunny asked, momentarily looking up from another slice of cake. This time, it was chocolate with swirls of strawberry frosting decorating the exterior.

"I was thinking we could all go watch a movie in the theater together."

"What movie?" Haruhi asked.

Tamaki shrugged, "Whatever looks good."

"It'll probably be some cheesy romance with no plot," Hikaru said distastefully as he sent the blond a bored look.

"Hey!" Tamaki exclaimed, looking offended.

"I think a movie will be fine," Haruhi replied. If anything, she could fall asleep during it.

"Then it's settled! We'll meet up at six and watch a movie in the theater!"

"Tama-chan!" Hunny cried out in protest, "Too early!"

"I feel inclined to agree with Hunny-senpai," Kyoya drawled.

The twins nodded in agreement, siding with the two upperclassmen.

Tamaki let his gaze travel across the group thoughtfully. Hunny's eyes were wide; tears threatening to spill out. Kyoya's face was stoic. The twins looked ready to barricade their door when they returned to their rooms. Mori and Haruhi didn't seem to care either way.

"Ah," Tamaki complied as he rubbed his chin, "I guess we can meet at nine."

The club members exhaled a deep breath of relief.

After Haruhi and Kyoya had finished eating their dinner, the club members decided to turn in for the night after a long, fun-filled day. They walked together to their rooms, chatting quietly as to not disturb the other guests with their conversation. Finally reaching the familiar hallway, the members returned to their respective rooms after bidding each other goodnight.

In room 4291, Haruhi was free to slump over to her bed and collapse onto the soft mattress.

"Haruhi," Kaoru said, "why don't you change first."

Haruhi, who was incredibly comfortable already, didn't see any reason to change.

"This is fine," Haruhi replied, referring to the attire that Kyoya had provided.

"No, it's not," Hikaru stated, wandering over to her drawer and withdrawing a black camisole and a pair of pink short shorts. He tossed them onto her bed, the camisole landing on her face and the short shorts draping themselves across her right arm.

"Put those on," the twins chorused together before sauntering over to the closet to change.

When the twins emerged from the walk-in closet, clad in matching boxers, they discovered that the girl had yet to change out of her current clothes. Instead of wearing the cuter ensemble that was currently resting against her side, she was still clad in the hideously large clothing that Kyoya had supplied.

"We'll change your clothes for you," the twins offered.

Reluctantly, Haruhi slipped off the bed and headed towards the bathroom only to reenter the room a few minutes later, clad in the outfit that Hikaru had picked out.

"Good," Kaoru called from his position on the bed.

Haruhi shrugged her shoulders and wandered over to her bed once more, dropping the clothes she had just changed out of onto the wooden drawer. She would fold them and place them into her suitcase tomorrow, or maybe she'd leave a note for the maids and have them wash the clothes Kyoya had let her borrow. Either way, she wasn't going to bother with it tonight. She was extremely tired and all she wanted to do was fall asleep.

She snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes, ignoring the shuffling sounds, the "click" of the lights being turned off, and the murmured whispers coming from the next bed over.

"Night," she murmured to the twins before drifting off to sleep, the mantra of '_six more days, six more days_' running through her head.


	11. Chapter 11

_Shuffle, shuffle..._

Takashi Morinozuka sank further into the white chair which was situated in the corner of the room that he and his cousin occupied. It was a surprisingly comfortable piece of furniture. However, his mind was not lingering on how soft the fabric of the chair was, nor was it focusing on the rather bulky throw pillow located beneath his weight. Instead, he was busy trying to decipher the barely audible sounds coming from the next room over.

_Swissssh_.

The sound of water running reached his ears.

The walls were not paper thin. It was something Takashi was immensely grateful for. It would not be in _anyone's_ best interest for his cousin to be woken up from his peaceful slumber. The eldest Morinozuka son tossed a glance at his cousin, Mitsukuni Haninozuka, who had the ever-present stuffed bunny pressed against his chest in what Takashi knew had to be a death grip. While the walls were not paper thin, Takashi's very acute sense of hearing could pick up the activity from the room he knew Haruhi, Kaoru, and Hikaru shared.

He deduced that Haruhi had woken up and was trying to go about her morning routine as quietly as possible without waking up her roommates. Unfortunately for her, it also meant as slowly as possible. Soft footsteps could be heard every so often. He knew that with each step, Haruhi would pause for a few moments to see if the twins had stirred.

His eyes traveled from his cousin to the alarm clock which flashed "4:56 A.M." in a red, neon glow.

Despite the fact that he had woken up almost twenty minutes ago himself, Takashi was still surprised to discover that someone else had woken up just as early on their own free will. Mitsukuni usually didn't wake up until after eight in the morning.

Had he still been at home, the next head of the Morinozuka family would be found toning his sword skills in either the dojo or the training grounds on his family's estate. At the moment, he was currently unaware if the ship actually possessed such training facilities. He was aware that there was a gym, but a gym and a dojo were two very different types of places.

If he weren't such an independent and silent person, he would have asked Tamaki if there was a place he could train on the ship. However, Takashi Morinozuka was an independent and silent person, and he decided that he would look into such an idea at another time. He held no doubts that his cousin might be interested in investigating such a thing with him. While the eldest son of the Haninozuka family was passionate about sweets and childlike things, he was also fond of combat. Not necessarily hurting people, but just fighting in general. The two cousins were excellent sparring partners.

He sat in silence for a few more minutes until the sound of the shower running finally came to an end. It wasn't long before he heard a door creak open, a light switched off, and more shuffling.

Takashi stood in one fluid movement and made his way towards the door. The key to the room rested comfortably in the bottom of his jean's pocket. After a few large strides, Takashi slipped through the door and closed it firmly behind him as he emerged into the brightly lit hallway.

He wasn't the least bit surprised when he heard the door to 4291 open a minute later.

"Haruhi."

Had Haruhi Fujioka been any other person at that moment, she would have jumped about five feet into the air at the somber, unexpected tone. Being Haruhi Fujioka, the ever sensible and sole female member of the Host Club, she only finished closing the door behind her and turned to smile at him.

"Good morning, Mori-senpai."

He nodded at her. She was dressed in a light blue dress. He noticed she was also wearing the same hair style as yesterday – the pigtails.

"Are you going to the banquet hall, Mori-senpai?" She inquired.

He really hadn't planned on going to the banquet hall. He usually didn't eat until his cousin was ready to. Then again, he usually wasn't left with nothing to do. Why did he come out into the hallway anyways? He could have stayed in the room, but it really didn't matter anymore.

"Yeah," Takashi decided. He would go to the banquet hall.

She sent him another smile and walked to his side. They started down the familiar path.

Minutes later, they found themselves at the banquet hall. The chandeliers above head were brightly lit, unlike how they had been during dinner time the previous night. There were only three other guests located in the room. A richly dressed couple sat together, conversing over their waffles and poached eggs. A man sat by himself at another table, reading the morning newspaper and occasionally taking a bite out of his toast.

Haruhi and Takashi wandered over to where the cooks were. They placed their orders; pancakes for Haruhi, fish and natto for Takashi.

They received their food and sat down at a nearby table. There was no need to travel to the center of the room to reserve the table the Host Club had deemed as their own because neither of them planned on staying _that_ long. After all, Takashi had to travel back to his room to meet his cousin, but he still had a few hours to kill.

"You like oriental," Haruhi noted with a thoughtful gaze as she picked up her fork.

Takashi merely nodded as he sampled the fish. He'd had better.

A waiter came by, asking for their drink orders and rushed off to bring back Haruhi's orange juice and a glass of water for Takashi.

They continued to eat in silence, finishing their meal before more guests decided to flood through the doors.

"I wonder what there is to do on this ship," Haruhi wondered aloud. She didn't want to spend the whole time at the pool. Besides, it was the _Suoh's _ship. She secretly expected an indoor amusement park from the eccentric owner.

Takashi wondered too.

"Would you care to investigate with me?" Haruhi asked, smiling up at the tall senior. She reminded him of Mitsukuni with the small gesture.

He nodded his head slowly and followed after her as she traveled down one of the corridors.

They passed by the gym for neither of them showed any particular interest in such a thing. They also passed by the ballroom, the concert hall, the daycare, at least nine different conference rooms, a second ballroom, the spa, and the ship's "gift shop" which was more like a mall if anything.

They walked by the movie theater where Haruhi was sure Tamaki would be taking them in a few more hours. Several more minutes into their journey, they stopped in front of the library which Haruhi noted down the location of for future references. If the twins left her without a key again, she would know where to go.

The training room was located across the hall from the library.

Takashi didn't say anything to his companion as he moved slowly, but with his giant strides, towards the door. He pulled open the heavy wood, and looked inside the brightly lit and already occupied room.

"Kasanoda-kun," Haruhi greeted as she peeked her head through the doorway, glancing under Takashi's arm.

"F-fuj...Fujioka!" Ritsu stammered out, and accidentally dropped the sword he was holding. He quickly jumped back before it collided against his bare foot.

"I didn't know you knew how to use a sword," Haruhi said as she glanced at the sword that clattered noisily against the ground.

Ritsu's cheeks turned crimson as he let his gaze drop to the floor, staring at the weapon now resting at his feet.

"Um, yeah," Ritsu replied; blushing and fidgeting a bit.

"Spar with me," Takashi interrupted. He didn't really know why, but he was becoming annoyed by the looks the yakuza heir was sending Haruhi.

"Ah... Morinozuka," Ritsu said, as if realizing the man was still present, "I don't think I'll be a match for someone such as yourself."

Takashi merely shrugged and grabbed one of the wooden katanas off the weapon's rack. They were decent looking pieces, but nothing like a real sword. Nothing like the ones the Morinozuka family possessed.

The senior made his way towards the center of the room, allowing a few feet between himself and the younger man. He quickly merged into a fighter's stance.

Haruhi looked between the two. Takashi really did look frightening. Even with a harmless wooden sword, his expressionless face was still terrifying.

"Attack," Takashi ordered.

Ritsu stood, stunned, as he gazed at the senior in front of him. He gulped, thankful that the swords were only wood and not of metal. He clutched his weapon in a death grip, afraid of not only suffering extreme injuries the Morinozuka heir might cause, but also the extreme blow to his pride if Haruhi saw how weak he really was compared to the senior.

_'Slow'_, Takashi thought to himself, lunging forwards and taking the underclassman by surprise. He swept his sword upwards, blowing the redhead back and sending him crashing to the floor.

Haruhi looked at Ritsu's fallen form and mentally sighed. The poor guy really had no chance against her more skilled companion.

"Ah, Mori-senpai," Haruhi said as she tossed another glance at Ritsu's prone figure, "don't you need to wake up Mitsukuni?"

She was right. He did have to wake up his cousin. The rest of the members would be up soon, too.

Takashi nodded and returned his weapon to the rack. Haruhi ventured out the door, deciding to wait outside the room. Takashi turned to face the yakuza heir that was still passed out on the ground. He wondered how anyone could even think that the boy was a threatening presence around their club.

But even _he_ had felt a tinge of annoyance towards the blushing, crimson-haired boy that had been staring awkwardly at the sole female club member.

His cousin's voice rang through his head as he joined Haruhi, once more, in the hallway.

"_You like her."_

And maybe he did.


	12. Chapter 12

When Haruhi returned to her room, she found the twins still asleep, wrapped around each other under the blankets of their bed. She momentarily thought of how much their designators would pay to see them like this. If only she had a camera, she might be able to decrease her debt. Oh, how Kyoya was rubbing off on her! Shaking her head as if to rid the thought from her mind, Haruhi tossed a quick glance at the clock situated on the table between her bed and the twin's bed.

"_8:13 A.M."_

They still had several minutes before they had to meet up with Tamaki and Haruhi figured that the twins would have just enough time to go about their morning routine without making the three of them incredibly late to the club's first activity of their second day on the cruise. From the amount of products the twin's had scattered around the bathroom and their impeccable appearances on a day-to-day basis, Haruhi could only assume that the brothers would take far longer getting ready than she had earlier.

Now, she just had to go about waking up the twins; something she had avoided like the plague only a few hours ago.

Deciding that she would start with Kaoru, the less violent and more understanding twin, Haruhi wandered over to his side of the bed. She hovered over his side, and briefly wondered if she'd end up waking Hikaru in the process because of how close together the two were.

She extended her hand, laying it against Kaoru's shoulder and began to gently shake him.

"Kaoru," she said, still rocking the younger twin back and forth.

Kaoru merely snuggled further into his brother's embrace, ignoring her completely.

"Kaoru," she repeated, but a bit louder this time and with a bit more force.

Haruhi released a sigh as she realized Kaoru wasn't out of bed yet. Not even close. She had taken such great lengths to avoid waking the twins up earlier with her morning routine, and here she was now, failing miserably in her attempts to rouse either of them from their slumber.

Deciding that she would try to wake up Hikaru instead, Haruhi leaned over his younger twin and shook the eldest member of their group of three.

Hikaru, however, reacted by grabbing hold of her arm and practically throwing her onto the bed. She flew over Kaoru, landing in a heap of limbs between the two brothers. She'd been tricked.

"Good morning, Haruhi," Kaoru said brightly as he wrapped his arms around the girl. With a lazy smile, he buried his face into her hair.

Hikaru draped one of his arms around her and pressed the girl against his bare chest.

"You know," Hikaru said in a breathy whisper and Haruhi briefly wondered if he was going to fall asleep again, "if you wanted to get into bed with us, you could have asked."

"I was actually trying to get the two of you out of bed," Haruhi deadpanned.

"No fun," came Kaoru's muffled voice.

Far too acquainted with their antics, Haruhi stared at the ceiling and waited for them to let her go, but they decided to keep her trapped in their embrace for awhile longer.

"You picked out this outfit?" Hikaru asked after a few moments of shared silence, tugging on the strap of the pale blue dress.

"It was dark," Haruhi admitted.

Kaoru stifled a laugh as he glanced over at his brother's face.

"He designed it," Kaoru supplied.

"Oh."

Haruhi managed to shift her weight to the side until she was able to catch a glimpse of alarm clock.

"There's only thirty-two minutes left for you two to get ready."

They shrugged off the comment and continued to hold her between them.

"Why would we want to watch some boring, old movie when we have you all to ourselves?" Hikaru asked.

Haruhi was silent for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face.

"I didn't think that the theater would be playing old movies."

The twins looked at each other. For a genius, she really was clueless.

"Ah... Hikaru," Kaoru started.

"Yes, Kaoru?" Hikaru inquired.

"Want the first shower?"

"Or shall we take one together?" Hikaru added with a wide grin.

"Haruhi can come, too," Kaoru said, playing along. He brought a finger to his chin as if imaging the possible scenario, "I don't mind sharing you with her."

Haruhi rolled her eyes, not being able to do much else because she was still trapped between them. The twins were shaking against her; laughter wracking their bodies. After a few more moments of hearty chuckles, Hikaru ended up abandoning his spot on the bed as he padded his way towards the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

Although she was no longer stuck in the familiar three-person embrace, she was still denied any means of escape from her position on the bed. Kaoru had latched onto her, his strong embrace vaguely reminding her of Hikaru's.

"You used our shampoo," Kaoru stated, inhaling the cinnamon scent, "and our conditioner," he sniffed, "and soap."

Haruhi shrugged, "I couldn't find my own."

Kaoru smiled mischievously and she gazed into the golden orbs.

"So," Haruhi said, "where exactly are they?"

"Being held hostage by a mermaid?" Kaoru offered. Her toiletries had actually been tossed into the trash bin as of yesterday, courtesy of the two Hitachiin twins. Maid service had already paid them a visit.

Haruhi sent him a dull look.

"Hikaru and I don't mind sharing with you," Kaoru said, stroking her cheek affectionately. She looked at him with her wide, chocolate eyes. He was momentarily lost in the color, but then reality hit him like a train and he was left trying very hard to restrain the blush threatening to creep onto his cheeks. Kaoru let his arm fall back to his side as if the contact with her cheek had scorched his fingertips.

She didn't look taken aback or anything by his actions. She was just indifferent. Kaoru propped himself up onto his elbows and leaned over to grab the remote from the nightstand.

"Let's watch T.V," Kaoru said, the light tone returning to his voice in a painfully forced manner. If Haruhi noticed, she didn't comment.

Hikaru found the two sprawled across the bed watching a singing elephant dance across the screen of the plasma screen television when he emerged from the bathroom nearly twenty minutes later with his damp hair styled and parted to one side. He donned a pair of white shorts and an orange jersey; "Hitachiin" labeled across the back in bold, white lettering.

"Left today, Kaoru," Hikaru said nonchalantly, referring to the side his twin should part his hair.

Kaoru nodded, slipped off the bed and ventured past his brother. His eyes were downcast as if ashamed to meet the identical gaze he knew was trying to figure out just exactly what had occurred in the eldest twin's short absence.

Hikaru joined the girl on the bed after Kaoru had disappeared behind the bathroom door. He crawled over to her side and collapsed onto his stomach, a position that allowed him to face the television. Still unsatisfied with his placement, he propped himself up with an elbow and placed his chin on his hand, tilting his head to stare at the girl next to him.

"What is this trash?" Hikaru drawled as he stared at the elephant that was gaily singing about the jungle.

"No idea," Haruhi said with a humorous tone, her eyes shining brightly as the elephant tripped and fell to the ground. A monkey rushed to its side, attempting to help up its fallen companion, but the elephant only rolled over and squished the monkey beneath its weight in the process.

Sometime during watching the elephant, which the two found to be surprisingly funny after some time, and waiting for Kaoru to finish with his shower, Hikaru had subconsciously scooted closer to Haruhi so their sides were pressed against each other.

Kaoru slipped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, joining the two on the bed as he reclaimed his usual spot on Haruhi's opposite side. The three of them, together once more, fell back into their usual routine.

Hikaru wrapped his arms around Haruhi, Kaoru wrapped his arms around Haruhi, Haruhi ignored the arms in general and continued on with life which, at the moment, consisted of two pairs of arms and a musically inclined elephant.

After all, they were all notorious for being late.


	13. Chapter 13

"Hikaru, Kaoru," Kyoya addressed two of the three underclassmen that had finally decided to join the rest of their club members in the hallway. It had, after all, only taken six minutes and twenty-two seconds of knocking, shouting, threats, worried ramblings, pacing, and Tamaki's inner mind theater going into overdrive. Kyoya had timed it from the first knock.

The twins looked up at the sound of their names being uttered by the dark looking fShadow King. Haruhi could feel them stiffen at her sides as the three of them stood outside the now closed door of 4291.

Realizing that he had their attention, Kyoya stated, "Haruhi's tardiness seems to be rubbing off on you both."

"That's not the only thing that she's rubbed off on us," Kaoru joked, tightening his grip around the girl as he let a lazy grin cross his face. His mirror image on the other side of Haruhi was not one to disappoint, and followed suit by letting an identical grin form on his lips. Hikaru's grin, however, was directed more so at the club president than anyone else. Haruhi, on the other hand, had a dull look plastered across her face as she waited for the events to unfold.

Tamaki blurted out something incomprehensible and his face turned crimson. Unfortunately for the "prince-type", Hunny had already grabbed onto the expensive white material of the shirt he was wearing and was preventing any advancements the younger blond might make to harm the twin that had uttered such a "lewd comment," or maybe just both twins to save him the time of going after the other later.

"Thank you, Hunny-senpai," Kyoya said, massaging his temples, "And, Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi" - he sent them each a pointed look - "don't let it happen again."

"Aye, aye," the twins chorused, momentarily releasing one of their arms from Haruhi in order to provide the "cool-type" with a mock salute.

"Tama-chan!" Hunny exclaimed, looking up at the flailing senior he had trapped, "let's go watch the movie! I want candy! I'm hungry!"

The twins looked less excited about the prospect of having candy for breakfast.

"We want breakfast," the twins deadpanned, "waffles, maple syrup, eggs, bacon."

"O-oh and cake!" exclaimed the blond senior.

Tamaki's eyes lightened up in understanding as he hastily pulled out his cellphone, "We can order breakfast and have it delivered to the theater!"

_'Being the son of the ship's owner definitely has its perks,'_ Haruhi noted as her self-proclaimed "father" rambled into the receiver of his cellphone, placing the orders that each of the club members shouted out. Kyoya, of course, was never one to speak over a certain volume, and coolly ordered a spicy sausage dish.

"Haruhi?" Tamaki tossed the girl a questioning glance, sliding the phone away from his mouth after providing the person on the other line a quick "one moment." She realized he was waiting for her to place her order.

"I'm not hungry," Haruhi said.

"Nonsense! Daddy could never let his darling daughter starve! Daddy will order you these scrumptious French pastries which I know you'll absolutely love. "

"Mori-senpai and I already ate breakfast," Haruhi supplied.

Tamaki's eyes widened. The twin's jaws dropped. Hunny looked at Haruhi, then at his cousin, and then back at Haruhi. Kyoya took this new piece of information down for further notice. Takashi looked indifferent.

There was a voice coming from the other end of the line, speaking in an indecipherable voice. Kyoya, realizing that his friend was still in shock, grabbed the phone and said, "Deliver the food to the theater. That is all," before hanging up.

"W-Wha... Wait... when did you eat breakfast?" Hikaru stuttered out, looking down at the girl in between him and his brother.

"This morning," she replied.

"You could've woken us up!" Hikaru cried out.

Haruhi looked at the older twin. After a moment or so of thinking, she replied, "I didn't think you two wanted to be up at five in the morning. I'll make sure to wake you tomorrow so you can join me."

The twins looked at her, looked at each other, and thought simultaneously, _'Is she serious?'_

Kyoya waved his hand elegantly in the air for a brief moment, interrupting the group from further continuing on with their discussion, "We have breakfast waiting for us in the theater."

Hikaru was shooting dark looks at the tall senior as they made their way down twisting hallways, multiple corridors, and the likes. He let his arms wrap tightly around Haruhi and, with a quick glance to his side, he could see that his brother had done the same. Takashi, however, was ignoring the twin's "if-looks-could-kill" expressions. Thankfully, it was only a matter of time before they reached the movie theater which, Haruhi had correctly assumed, was the one that she and Takashi had passed by during their earlier "exploration."

They entered the theater's lobby where they were immediately directed to another section by one of the members of the theater staff.

"Theater four," the man, dressed in an elegant tuxedo, had said before he escorted the group to their assigned room. He promptly dismissed himself afterwards.

Theater four was a spacious, dark room. Haruhi could only suppose it was meant to be designed in the typical movie theater style. However, rich people could never seem to replicate "common" things. The room they had been assigned was obviously meant for a small group. The only object in the room that Haruhi could relate to a normal movie theater had to be the screen set up against the front wall.

Instead of sticky floors and seats that one had to sit in to keep down, there was plush carpeting and extremely comfortable looking furniture. What appeared to be a concession stand was situated against the back; popcorn and soda machines included.

The food had already been delivered, Haruhi noticed. There was a serving trolley with plates of food on top, concealed by metal covers in the center of the room. Hunny was the first to react, running over to search for his cake. The twins followed suit, then Tamaki, and finally Kyoya who followed patiently behind.

The two cousins took the smaller couch. Kyoya and Tamaki opted for the individual chairs while the twins dragged Haruhi towards the larger couch and seated her between them.

"So what are we watching, my lord?" Kaoru asked as he lathered maple syrup across his waffles. After using half the bottle, he leaned over Haruhi and offered his brother the rest.

Tamaki looked up from his poached eggs and said, "I was going to see if any of you had any preferences."

"Let's watch an animated movie!" Hunny chimed.

"...Something with martial arts."

"There's an interesting documentary about the financial world of the future..."

The twins rolled their eyes at Kyoya.

"Why don't we watch a scary movie?" Hikaru asked as he bit into his waffle.

"Ooh," Kaoru voiced in an eerie tone.

Tamaki looked a bit taken aback at the suggestion. He wasn't particularly fond of scary movies - at all. A true romantic at heart, he had been leaning towards a recently released western romance film.

"Unless my lord is _afraid_," Hikaru said with a chuckle, "then I guess we don't have to watch a scary movie."

"Um..." Tamaki mumbled, and then suddenly thought of an excuse, "I just don't want my precious daughter to lose any sleep over such a terrifying film!"

"A scary movie is fine with me, senpai," Haruhi replied as she watched Kaoru pop a strip of bacon lathered in maple syrup into his mouth. She doubted she'd be very hungry for lunch if she continued watching the twins eat.

Tamaki paled considerably at her reply, but nodded reluctantly.

There was a phone on the wall, near the movie screen. Tamaki stood up rather weakly and walked over to the wall. He picked up the device and waited for the voice on the other line to greet him.

"_Have you made a decision?" _The voice of the man who had led them to the room echoed into his ear.

"Ah," Tamaki said hesitantly, "any horror movie playing right now will be fine." He just hoped it would be the mildest horror film available.

"_Anything specific, sir?_"

"SOMETHING REALLY SCARY!" the twins bellowed loud enough to be picked up by the phone before they burst into laughter.

Tamaki paled even further as the voice on the other end said, _"Yes sir. I'm sure I have just the thing, sir. Enjoy the movie, sir,"_ but he wasn't even paying attention as he replaced the phone and slumped back to reclaim his seat.

The screen flickered on as soon as Tamaki had collapsed back into the comfy chair, but he wasn't sure that the comfort would be able to soothe his nerves.

"Are you alright, Tama-chan?" Hunny asked after swallowing a forkful of cake.

The rest of the members turned to face their club president who had resigned himself to picking at the eggs on his plate. He didn't feel hungry anymore, but playing with his food made it so he wasn't looking at the movie screen.

Unfortunately for him, some staff members arrived to clear away their plates just as the opening credits began to roll in with eerie colors. It looked like the movie was going to be a slasher film from the chainsaw noises and, what Haruhi thought to be, exaggerated screaming.

Tamaki felt his shoulders slump and bit down on his lip. It'd be a long movie.


	14. Chapter 14

"Lot Thirteen," the movie that the Host Club had "requested" was, in all reality...

"_Waiii_! Takashi! I'm scared!"

"Oh my god, did he just _eat_ her _finger_?"

..._very_ scary.

Tamaki was wincing at the visual image from behind closed eyelids, hoping the movie would end soon. The blond haired senior rocked back and forth in his seat on the carpeted ground. He really, really wanted his teddy bear at the moment. Instead of the familiar stuffed animal, he clung hopelessly to Haruhi's leg. She was the only member of their club that didn't appear to be bothered by the featured film. The "natural-type" found the whole movie to be extremely pointless and had also noticed that it lacked a plot. It was one that focused more so on gore and guts than an actual story line in order to entertain its viewers.

Even Takashi and Kyoya were visibly flinching at certain parts throughout the film.

Some time during the movie, all of the club members had managed to make their way over to the large sofa where the twins and Haruhi were. Hunny had been the first to join the three freshmen. He was terrified by the shrieks bursting through the loudspeaker as the murderer pursued its first victim through the empty parking lot. Takashi, always one to follow his cousin, had slid over to sit on one side of the large couch while Hunny claimed the spot on Haruhi's lap.

Ever the mastermind, Kyoya had walked over to the concession stand during one particularly disturbing scene, but on his way back, he had dropped into one of the unoccupied spaces on the couch with the seniors, the twins, and the girl. He offered them some of his popcorn, opting to ignore the "how-much-is-this-going-to-cost-me?" look from Haruhi.

Tamaki, who was seemingly always the last to catch on to just about everything, had been the final member to dash over to sit on the floor and clutch his "daughter's" leg as another bloodcurdling scream erupted from the speakers that surrounded the room.

Hikaru and Kaoru clung to the girl, horrified, as the killer ripped off another body part from one of its victims. Throughout the movie, the two tried not to turn away from the grotesque scenes, but often found themselves pressing their faces against their "toy's" neck in order to shield their eyes from the sight of the massacre taking place on the screen.

Twenty very long minutes later, the movie ended, much to the relief of the Host Club members. Even Haruhi was glad that the movie had ended, but not for the same reasons. Instead of being relieved that the horror had ended like the rest of her friends, she was instead feeling disappointed that she had just wasted a good two hours or so of her life on such a pointless movie when she could have been doing something that was worth her time like reading a book.

"I don't suppose anyone's hungry?" Tamaki bravely inquired in a soft tone as they left the theater and proceeded into the empty hallway. He didn't expect anyone to say "yes" because he knew that no normal person could possibly be hungry after watching such a film. He, too, had lost his appetite. It had probably been during the opening credits.

Hikaru and Kaoru sent their club president a dark look as they rested the weight of their bodies weakly against the girl standing between them.

"Well...we could go to the pool," Tamaki said. His idea was immediately shot down by the two twins who claimed they had just done that yesterday and therefore it would be boring.

"How about laser tag?" Tamaki asked.

The twins looked suddenly interested at his latest suggestion.

"Laser tag!" repeated Hunny, eyes widening in excitement.

Takashi nodded, although he'd follow his cousin no matter what the activity was.

Kyoya didn't have anything against the presented idea, and therefore agreed with the rest of his club members.

"Okay, laser tag it is!" Tamaki said before walking a few feet away from his club members until he was standing in front of another door. He opened it, and waited for the rest of his friends to join him.

Haruhi could feel her eye twitch. He had to be pulling these rooms out of thin air! Then again, she was still expecting an indoor amusement park to be lurking behind one of those elegantly painted doors. Although she had no idea as to what exactly the ship possessed, she was aware of the fact that she had plenty of time on board to investigate and experience the different attractions offered. If she didn't get around to doing it herself, she knew the twins would be all to happy to be the ones that would get to drag her along with them.

They filed into the dark room full of glowing, black lights and neon colors.

"Welcome," a man greeted them from behind a computer. He was dressed completely in white and was brightly glowing under the lighting, "would you like to participate in the next game?"

Haruhi glanced at the side of the room where a decently sized group of people were standing. Most of them appeared to be younger kids, but there were a few business men and women chatting amongst themselves. The group of people stood in front of a closed door, probably waiting for the current game to come to an end before being let in.

"Yes," Kyoya said, having walked up to the desk and was conversing with the man who appeared to be in charge of registration.

After Kyoya had a minute of very brief conversation with the man, the Host Club members were called up one by one to enter their names and to also receive a small chip with their data stored on it. After everyone had received their chip, they were directed to stand with the others across the room.

"So what name did you pick, Haru-chan?" Hunny asked the girl that the twins had, once more, latched themselves onto.

"Haruhi," she replied, looking at him like it should have been obvious.

The twins looked at her with an amused expression before chiming, "How unoriginal!"

"Huh?" she looked up at the two twins.

"Never mind," Kaoru brushed away her thoughts with a lazy wave of his hand .

Apparently, Haruhi later found out, she was supposed to have picked a codename. Maybe that's why the man at the main computer had been staring at her with a confused expression. She'd actually never tried laser tag before, so she didn't know she was supposed to come up with a creative alias to go by. Oh well. She didn't see anything wrong with her real name.

The twins had decided on "one" and "two" for their names. Hikaru was "one," Kaoru was "two." Having the same name in the same game wasn't allowed, so they went with what was familiar. Besides, nobody would be able to tell them apart inside.

Tamaki had decided on "Daddy" as his codename and the twins had gotten a laugh out of that, finding it hilarious. He was disappointed that he hadn't been able to convince Haruhi to change her codename to "Daughter." Hunny was "Usa-chan", in honor of the pink stuffed bunny still lounging on his bed in the room that he shared with his cousin. Takashi was "Samurai" and Kyoya was "SK." Haruhi could only assume it meant Shadow King.

"Or Suc-Ker," Hikaru joked when she had asked the "cool-type" if her assumption was correct.

Kyoya ignored both the comment and the question as the doors opened and they followed the crowd inside.

"Welcome," another man, also dressed completely in white, greeted the crowd that had just entered the room. It was spacious enough for everyone to fit inside without being cramped, but it was relatively small compared to the lobby area.

"My name is Lt. Davies, and I'll be giving you some quick instructions and some basic guidelines you'll be required to follow," the man said. He was extremely buff and intimidating looking, clothes glowing under the black lights hanging above and contrasting with his visibly darker skin.

"First off, I want you all to suit up by taking one of the vests from the wall," Lt. Davies said as he jerked a thumb to the side. The crowd shuffled over to the direction in which he had pointed, grabbing said item. Everyone slipped them over their head, strapping the object to fit snugly around them.

Lt. Davies had to help some of the younger kids, especially the ones that didn't quite understand what they were supposed to do. The rest of the crowd continued to look at him expectantly. Once he was satisfied that everyone was geared up properly, Lt. Davies continued, "Now, I want you to draw the gun that's situated at your hip and insert the chip into the slot on the top."

Haruhi did as she told, watching as her name flashed onto the tiny screen embedded at the top of the device.

"Alright. There are several spots where you can hit or be hit. Each spot is worth a certain amount of points. There's the chest, the back, the shoulders – either will suffice – and, of course, the highest point provider – the gun itself."

Looking at her gun, she noticed that there were spots on the side and one directly in front where the laser could flash. She realized it must be a tricky spot to aim for, let alone land a hit on.

"Time for some rules," Lt. Davies said. He gazed around the room with a stern expression before proceeding, "There's only two major rules: no physical contact with the enemy whatsoever and no taking off one's equipment at any time."

The crowd nodded in understanding, many of them anxious to start already.

"Haruhi, stick with daddy, okay?" Tamaki told the girl as they waited for the door leading to the course to open.

"My lord, I think we're better suited to take care of her," Hikaru said, cracking a devious grin under the dark lighting.

"Fathers are naturally better at ensuring their daughter's safety," Tamaki simply replied.

"Senpai," Haruhi said with wide eyes, "isn't the point to gain the most points _individually_?"

However, he didn't get the chance to answer (or in his case, look forlorn) as some of the panels on the floor slid open, causing half of the group to disappear beneath – Haruhi, Hunny, and Takashi included. Vanishing into the dark pit beneath, the surprised screams of those that had fallen were blocked off by the panels that had quickly shut behind them.

"HARUHI!" the twins and Tamaki bellowed, dropping to their knees and trying to pick up the panels. Nothing budged, though, and after a few seconds of trying, they could only look around at the equally shocked guests.

"Good luck," Lt. Davies said with a grin as the door in front of those remaining swung open. He always got a kick out of their reactions.


	15. Chapter 15

While the fall had been short, it had also been extremely unexpected. Haruhi, a natural to the world around her, hadn't even thought of screaming at the top of her lungs when she had been taken by surprise and dropped through the floor. She was the type of person that embraced what life threw at her, and if it threw her, she just stood right back up.

Haruhi landed on something soft, sinking into the material of whatever had broken her fall. It was a foam pit, she realized. She propped herself up on her elbows which soon caused her to be pressed further into the foam beneath her. Not planning to dwell very long on the situation, she made her way through the foam blocks and towards the edge.

She found it was easier to roll out of the foam pit compared to her previous methods of walking and crawling. If she walked, she sunk further in. If she crawled, it felt deadly uncomfortably as the foam blocks rubbed against her legs and stuck uncomfortably in between her limbs. It felt like she was swimming and getting nowhere.

After she had successfully rolled out of the foam pit, a rather difficult task if you must know, Haruhi dropped to the ground in a squatting position. She straightened her body as she stood up and then adjusted her vest for comfort purpose. After ensuring that the vest was once more snug against her thin frame, she proceeded to smooth out the bottom of her dress which had become wrinkled and bunched up around her hips after the fall.

"_Welcome! Game will begin in one minute. Please take your positions," _a feminine voice, computer generated most likely, was emitted from the loud speakers above. Haruhi glanced up, catching glimpses of feet through the boards overhead. She could hear the muffled voices and sounds from above, but there was loud music bursting throughout the room and drowning out the other noises. The music lacked lyrics, but it had a catchy beat fit for the competitive atmosphere.

It was safe to assume that she was on the bottom floor. That meant she'd have to get up to where the rest of the people were somehow. The area where she had been dumped was dimly lit by a flickering bulb, providing an eerie setting. She was alone, having been separated from the rest of her club members. She wondered if any of the others in her group had fallen through the trap doors.

Deciding that she might as well "take her position", Haruhi held the gun to her side and proceeded forward. The only option she was allowed was to continue on straight ahead. Taking one final glance around the area where she had landed, she assumed that those that had fallen had ended up separated from their companions as well. She could only imagine how the twins would respond had they found themselves in the same predicament she was in. A mental image of Hikaru going insane without Kaoru by his side swept through her mind.

"_Game will begin in ten seconds,"_ the computer generated voice boomed.

Haruhi continued to walk straight ahead until she had reached a section that split off into two directions. To her right, she could see someone of a small stature wandering around, clutching their gun nervously in front of them as they walked forward, completely oblivious to her presence.

_'The point of the game is to individually achieve the most points,' _Haruhi mentally repeated to herself as she trailed behind the person at her normal pace. As she drew closer to the person, a loud noise – like a siren – burst through the area and caused her target to jump into the air in shock. The game had begun.

Haruhi took aim and squeezed the trigger.

* * *

"Kaoru," Hikaru said.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we should have stayed with them?" Hikaru asked, referring to both the "prince-type" and the "cool-type" that they had ditched a few minutes ago. They had split off from the two others by "accidentally" turning a corner.

Kaoru, who had been walking backwards next to his brother, cocked his head to the side to meet a pair of golden orbs that were identical to his own.

"Nah," the twins chorused together, sharing similar expressions. They both chuckled.

"I wonder where Haruhi is," Kaoru mused aloud, thinking of the girl that they had last seen disappearing through the floor beneath them.

The two of them turned a corner and Kaoru could hear his brother squeeze the trigger of his gun. The cry of protest from what sounded like a little kid could only mean that Hikaru had hit his target. Kaoru, however, didn't have a chance to congratulate him as he shot at the group of approaching players. There were four of them together. He could only assume they were a family from the lanky teenager, his kid brother, and the two touristy looking adults which fit the description of parents perfectly.

Hikaru spotted an escape to his right and decided to take it before the people that he and his brother had taken out could reactivate and retaliate. He grabbed his brother's wrist, and dragged the younger Hitachiin down a small corridor. They turned a corner, took a right, and continued their sprint. He landed another shot on an unsuspecting businesswoman's back before quickly turning into another corridor on his right.

"Ah," Kaoru said with a breathless laugh, "we did good."

Hikaru let a wide grin spill across his lips and he leaned against the wall.

"Hey, Kaoru," Hikaru started, letting his arm, and gun, fall to his side.

"What's up?" Kaoru asked, looking at his twin's face. His older brother wasn't grinning any longer.

Hikaru took a deep breath. He really wanted this question answered, "What do you think of Haruhi?"

Kaoru looked around warily, "Are you sure this is the best place to be having this conversation?"

"Where else are we going to have it?"

The twins gave each other a weak smile.

Kaoru had always been better at dealing with emotions than his twin. While his brother was more brash and acted without thinking, Kaoru observed and examined and thought things out. He knew that he liked Haruhi, and he knew that his brother liked Haruhi. Worse of all, he knew that their fellow club members liked Haruhi too.

"I like her," he said after a few moments.

"Yeah," Hikaru agreed, "me too."

Hikaru looked at the ground, "Do you think she likes one of us more than the other?"

"Knowing her," Kaoru said with a grin, "she probably hates us both the same."

Hikaru let out a laugh at the comment.

"But," Kaoru said wryly, "if she can hate us both the same, that just means she can like us both the same."

"Which is the best way to go," Hikaru supplied, "seeing as we already share everything."

Kaoru nodded, "We just have to make her like us. It's easier said than done, though, seeing as the rest of our dear club has fallen for our toy as well."

"As long as she doesn't end up falling for my lord," Hikaru added, referring to their emotional club president.

"I think we should be more worried about Mori-senpai," Kaoru replied, thinking of the private breakfast that they had missed out on.

* * *

Takashi Morinozuka held back a sneeze as he turned left and continued down his current path. He was searching for Mitsukuni at the moment, hoping his cousin hadn't traveled too far. Throughout his journey, he had already racked up a good deal of points. Then again, he had probably traveled throughout most of the course and shot at over half of the game's participants.

Unfortunately for the tall senior, he had yet to encounter any of his club members, least of all his cousin.

He heard footsteps approaching and placed the gun in front of him. Turning to his right, he let the gun fall back to his side.

"Mori-senpai," Kyoya said, recognizing the senior's towering form despite the less than adequate lighting.

Takashi let his eyes scan the area as if expecting to see others from their group.f

"Tamaki and I were separated," Kyoya explained, a small smile gracing his lips as if there was more to the story than the information he had just provided the other man with. To be honest, as soon as Kyoya had noticed that the twins had decided to take an alternate route, Kyoya had also managed to indiscreetly slip away from his blond-haired companion.

"Are you searching for Hunny-senpai?" Kyoya inquired, adjusting his glasses with his free hand.

Takashi nodded. He could already tell from the younger man's tone that he had not encountered his cousin during his travel.

"I'll come with you," Kyoya offered, deciding that the senior would be a suitable companion. Besides, if they ran into Haruhi, he wouldn't have to worry about her spending any more alone time with the "wild-type" like she had during breakfast. Sure, he wasn't one to talk, having gotten a back massage out of her the previous night, but he wasn't about to let the girl who had captured his attention go off with another man, even if it was a fellow club member. At least, not without putting up a good fight first.

It was, after all, common knowledge that Kyoya Ootori was not a force to be reckoned with.

* * *

Mitsukuni was having a great time. He'd played laser tag once before. When he was younger, he'd been classmates with a boy whose parents were owners of a successful hotel chain. It was for his classmate's seventh birthday that his parents had allowed him to turn one of their hotels into a laser tag course.

_'The birthday cake had been particularly good,' _Mitsukuni thought, fondly remembering the fluffy, chocolate icing.

He'd been taken by surprise when the floor had slid out from beneath him and he'd ended up falling through the trap door, landing in the foam pit waiting below. He'd quickly gotten out of the pit and had been disappointed to find himself alone. Although he'd been separated from Takashi and the rest of the club members before, the feeling of loneliness had never been a welcome one.

Mitsukuni was not one to dwell on sad thoughts for very long. His attention was drawn elsewhere when he got a _bit _carried away chasing the businessmen and prim-proper ladies around with his laser gun. A particularly funny encounter had occurred when a portly man sporting a flower-print shirt and khaki-colored shorts had entered into his line of fire. Even under the black lights, he'd been able to see the man's cheeks growing red with anger after he'd shot at him over seven times in a period of five minutes.

"Hunny-senpai!" he heard a familiar voice call and quickly spun around.

"Haru-chan!" Hunny exclaimed, bouncing towards the girl and giving her a quick embrace. Hugging her with their vests on hadn't been too comfortable, but Hunny found it enjoyable nevertheless. He always liked Haruhi's hugs.

"Mori-senpai isn't with you?" Haruhi inquired, glancing over the small senior's shoulder to find the spot empty.

"Nope," Hunny replied, quickly pushing her to the side and shooting at a bulky man behind her.

Haruhi, not taken aback by the action, aimed at the woman who had just entered her line of sight. She pulled the trigger, watching as the woman turned to face them with a disappointed scowl, waiting to reactivate.

Hunny grabbed onto the girl's wrist and pulled her down another corridor. They hurried down the path, making two lefts, a right, and another left before reverting back to a walk.

"_Game ends in five minutes_," the electronic voice from earlier burst from the speakers above.

"I wonder how many points I got!" Hunny wondered aloud in an excited tone, "I bet I got a lot because I shot at this one guy a few times..."

Haruhi shot at a man who had wandered into their area; her laser landing against the sensor on his chest. The man quickly backed up and ran in the direction he had come from, obviously having no desire in going up against a team of two.

"...and then," Hunny continued, "there was this one guy who kept swearing loudly, so I shot at him and he got really mad and tried to chase after me but I ran around a corner too fast and then when he reactivated, I shot him again. He was so mad!"

This time, it was a little girl – the one she had first shot at in the beginning - that wandered into their path. Haruhi squeezed the trigger and watched as it landed against the sensor in the girl's gun.

"Oh! Haru-chan is really good," Hunny exclaimed, admiring the younger girl's aim.

Haruhi quickly ducked into the corridor on her left with Hunny trailing after her as he continued the recap of his story.

"...and I spun around and there was this woman that shot at me and ran off, but I caught up to her and shot her back..."

A flash of blond hair was the only thing that Haruhi's mind registered before she was engulfed in a bone crushing hug.

"Senpai," Haruhi wheezed out in greeting as the blond snuggled her cheek affectionately.

Tamaki was already proclaiming how much he missed his "darling daughter" and how those "wicked demons" had abandoned him. He sighed pathetically as he recounted the events, mentioning how he and "mother" had been separated.

"Tama-chan!" Hunny cheerfully exclaimed, "Haru-chan is really good at this game!"

"Really?" Tamaki asked, his eyes sparkling as he embraced her once more, "Daddy's so proud!"

They didn't have time to continue with their conversation as a dark figure shot at them and rushed off.

"Hey!" Tamaki protested, angry that the dark figure had just ruined a wonderful moment with his self-proclaimed daughter.

"_Game has ended, please proceed to exit,"_ the electronic voice rang, _"arrows on the ceiling are provided as guides to the exit."_

Haruhi looked up, and sure enough, there were neon lights hanging above to guide the way. The lights seemed to snake across the ceiling, reaching across the course.

"Let's go," Haruhi said.

They started walking. Haruhi would glance up every so often to ensure that they were going in the correct direction. After about three minutes, they joined a flood of people who were filing into the exit.

"Haruhi!" Hikaru and Kaoru called, running up to greet the girl. They wrapped their arms around her and clung possessively to the smaller girl. She looked up and glanced around, spotting Kyoya and Takashi who were also approaching their group.

"Mother!" Tamaki wailed as Kyoya halted his steps and glanced at the group.

"I see everyone's accounted for," Kyoya said coolly after a swift examination.

Takashi had taken his place at his cousin's side, towering over the martial artist.

The group entered into the familiar room where Lt. Davies had instructed them on rules and guidelines. The muscular man was no longer present. Instead, another man, dressed in similar attire, had taken his position at the head of the room and examined the crowd with scrutinizing eyes as they placed their vest back on the wall.

After they had placed their vests back on the wall, the twins dragged her from the room and towards the lobby where another group of people were waiting for the next game. They stood, chatting amongst themselves in light tones. Haruhi noticed that there were less business people and, in their place, were more kids with their maids and nannies.

"Haru-chan, Haru-chan!" Hunny shouted and she turned to face him. He was pointing at a large screen television with a series of names and rankings.

"Wow," Kaoru said from her left, "Haruhi came in second."

He was right. The name "Haruhi" was next to the number two. The spot beneath her read "Usa-chan." Fourth was Takashi. Kaoru managed to land a spot as fifth, Hikaru coming after his brother in sixth. A few more names down the list, she caught sight of Kyoya's codename on the sixteenth spot. Almost at the very bottom was Tamaki, having taken the ranking which was fourth to last.

"My lord didn't do so well," Hikaru commented as he tossed a grin at the depressed looking club president.

"Um," Haruhi started. The host club looked at their female companion curiously and waited for her to continue speaking. She was staring at the screen. Well, to be more specific, she waffs staring at the codename of the person that had scored the highest in the game.

"Doesn't that name look familiar?" Haruhi inquired.

Kaoru glanced at the name and felt his eyes widen, knowing that his twin had reacted in a similar fashion.

"Bereznoff."


	16. Chapter 16

Umehito Nekozawa grinned to himself as he slipped the familiar cat puppet back onto his hand. His younger sister, Kirimi, and their family's faithful servant, Kuretake, soon joined him as they claimed their familiar positions at his side. They stood in the dark lobby, full of black lights and an assortment of different people. There was a group loitering around the front of a large screen television on which the names and rankings for the game were posted.

The gods must have been pleased by the countless offerings and prayers Umehito had dedicated to them for Kirimi had, after some time, decided to join her brother in his dark ways. The angelic blond now sported a black cloak, much like the one he wore, and a cat puppet similar to his own. She wasn't afraid of the dark any longer. Umehito had never felt a greater sense of happiness than when his sister had accepted both him and his world, and of course, Bereznoff.

"Look, big brother," Kirimi said in her light, childish voice, "you scored first place."

"Of course," Umehito replied as he gazed at his codename on the screen. He was not particularly interested by the information, "I did, after all, have the netherworld on my side."

His younger sister had ended up achieving the lowest ranking. He had planned on staying with her, but she had fallen to the bottom layer along with many others in the crowd before the game had even begun. Umehito had cursed whatever being had decided on such a fate for his little sister, and as soon as the doors had opened, both he and Kuretake had decided to take off in different directions in order to find the young girl amidst the chaos that had ensued after her disappearance. Many of the other guests had grown frantic as their friends, family, and teammates fell through the trapdoors beneath and had reacted in a less than positive manner. Had Kirimi not fallen in with the others, Umehito would have relished in the chaos.

Kirimi smiled fondly up at her big brother and clutched his free hand with her own. Her small, pale hand was completely engulfed by his much larger one.

Umehito was about to take his leave from the room, and most importantly, from the crowd, but he was stopped by the sound of his puppet's name.

Glancing in the direction from which he had heard the sound, he immediately spotted _them_.

Tamaki Suoh, the blond idiot who had once stepped on his beloved puppet and who had also been the one to assist in the task of bringing Kirimi and himself together, stood with his back turned to the cloaked figure.

On his side was the terrifying Kyoya Ootori, a powerful and worthy opponent. He was dressed casually, but posed in his usual, cool manner. Umehito, who could see very well in the dark, noticed that the third and youngest son of the Ootori family sported a slightly darker skin tone.

The stoic senior, Takashi Morinozuka, and his cousin, the sickeningly sweet Mitsukuni Haninozuka stood side by side. They were a fearsome duo; the swordsman and the martial artist. The common knowledge, "appearances are deceiving," could never apply more to a single person than it did to the eldest son of the Haninozuka family.

And then, of course, there were the Hitachiin twins. Umehito could never exactly tell who was who, but he already knew that they were more terrifying than the most evil of the demon lords _combined_. Bereznoff could only wag his ears in agreement. They were, in Umehito's opinion, the most properly labeled of their group. The "little-devils" were always wreaking havoc on others whether it be teachers, fellow students, or him in general.

And then there was someone of a shorter stature located in between the two brothers. From the outfit, Umehito could only assume it was a girl. However, Umehito was also aware of the fact that the Host Club possessed seven members and he had, although only through a brief scan, only counted six.

He glanced up at the screen once more, and sure enough, there was the name "Haruhi" located beneath his own. Haruhi Fujioka was the scholarship student who attracted girls and the occasional guy (he'd heard the Host Club's manageress' screams on the day Ritsu Kasanoda had decided to pay the boy a visit) with his natural charm and honest, straightforward conversation.

So, if the "natural-type" of their club had his name on the board, why couldn't the president of the Dark Magic Club locate him?

The blond, Tamaki Suoh, and president of the Host Club, immediately shushed the group, scolding them, "Don't say _that_ name! You'll bring seven years of bad luck on all of us!"

Chuckling to himself in his dark manner, Umehito trailed closer to the group, keeping his hand clasped gently over Kirimi's. She looked up at him curiously before dropping her attention back to the group in front of her.

"My lord, it could merely be a coincidence," one of the "little-devils" said, hoping to reassure the club president that he was just being paranoid.

"But," the blond replied, "don't say the name! I still get chills, thinking about that exam..."

"You walked into the Greek class by mistake," Kyoya Ootori stated. The event was forever stuck in his mind because his friend_ always_ brought it up whenever the name of the Dark Magic Club's president was mentioned.

"Perhaps," Umehito said as he watched each member of the group in front of him visibly stiffen at the sound of his voice, "it isn't a coincidence?"

"Nekozawa-kun," Kyoya greeted in a chilling tone as he faced the cloaked figure.

Finally provided with a good view of the female situated between the two twins, he took in her appearance. The first thing that came to his mind was the fact that she was cute. The large brown eyes were strikingly like Fujioka's, as was her height, and her face, and her hair color, and pretty much everything else about her.

_'Except,'_ Umehito thought to himself with a blush; his gaze had lowered to her chest, _'those are definitely one thing Fujioka and this girl do not share in common.'_

He was sure he had heard a growl. His eyes quickly snapped away from the girl and landed on the smallest of their group – Mitsukuni Haninozuka. The short senior was looking at him with an almost feral aura. The bright smile and cute demeanor he usually possessed had disappeared. They were replaced by dark eyes and an emotionless expression that could easily rival Morinozuka's.

"Where is your 'natural-type'?" Umehito inquired of the group, not noticing how the two twins and the Host Club's president visibly stiffened once again at his question.

"He decided not to attend," Kyoya calmly replied.

"Then why is his name on the scoreboard?"

"That isn't his name. This is his cousin, Haruhi Fujioka," Kyoya said, referring to the girl that the twins had wrapped in their embrace.

Umehito arched an eyebrow at that and let his gaze slide over to the girl once more. _So that's why she looked so much like the Fujioka boy!_ Except, with breasts. Umehito was glad that he had his cloak on to cover the blush that had crept onto his cheeks at the thought.

The girl, Haruhi Fujioka, seemed to have stumbled a bit at the Ootori's words. She looked at the "cool-type" with a weak gaze. He returned it with one of his sly, secretive smiles.

"Are you alright?" Umehito asked, having noticed the girl's small stumble despite the arms that held her up.

"She's tired," Kyoya interrupted, "we will return her to her room so she can rest."

Umehito nodded and watched as the group practically ran from the room, carting the girl off with them.

A tug at his hand brought his attention back to his little sister. He looked at her with a questioning glance, waiting for her to speak.

"Big brother," she said prettily, "do you like that girl?"

"Silly girl," Umehito said affectionately and squeezed her hand gently, "I only just met her."

But she was pretty, and something about her made him want to further investigate. It was like she was a secret waiting to be revealed. However, he doubted he would be able to investigate or spend any time with her. Especially when she had the rest of the club hovering over her like they were her personal bodyguards.

Besides, he was Umehito Nekozawa. He had the netherworld on his side, a book of spells at his disposal, and his trusty companion, Bereznoff forever at hand - no pun intended.


	17. Chapter 17

"Haruhi Fujioka, cousin of Haruhi Fujioka?" Kaoru repeated. Laughter erupted from the twins once more, their bodies shaking against Haruhi's as they sat on one of the beds in room 4291.

After the Host Club had made their quick get away with Haruhi in tow, they had opted to gather in the room that Haruhi and the twins shared. Mitsukuni and Takashi occupied the side of Haruhi's bed while the twins had decided to drag their "toy" onto their bed. Tamaki was rapidly pacing around floor, muttering to himself. Kyoya observed the club's behavior from the chair situated in the corner of the room and, every so often, he would pinch the bridge of his nose to relieve himself of the pain forming beneath his fingertips.

"Umehito Nekozawa must not find out Haruhi's secret!" Tamaki exclaimed. He was worried about the possible addition of yet another suitor seeking the affections of his most precious daughter. A father could only take so much! Already, he had to deal with those two mischievous twins that were continuously latching onto his darling daughter's body. And then there was that breakfast with Morinozuka that he certainly hadn't approved of first! Even worse, there was Ritsu Kasanoda, the yakuza heir, lurking next door. It was evident that the redhead was fond of their club's "natural-type." Daddy did_ not_ approve.

"He won't," Kyoya replied as he watched his distraught friend turn and continue pacing in the opposite direction, "as long as Haruhi continues to keep up appearances," he fixed a shriveling gaze on their youngest member at this, "and doesn't reveal her secret."

"But couldn't you have come up with something a bit more creative than her _real _name?" Hikaru asked.

"Haruhi would undoubtedly slip up and then, with her identity revealed, she wouldn't be able to serve as a host any longer," Kyoya stated. He was fully aware of the fact that if Nekozawa decided to just ask if she was really a girl, Haruhi would bluntly provide a truthful answer. She was an incredibly honest person. Such a flaw in the commoner's character would undoubtedly serve as a pain in his backside for the remainder of the trip.

"Waiii! Haruhi can't leave us," Hunny wailed at the thought of their sole-female member taking leave of the club.

"Besides," Kyoya said as he pushed his glasses further up his nose, "Nekozawa is now convinced that they are cousins."

"How can you be so sure?" Tamaki cried out. Even he thought "mother's" plan was incredibly transparent.

"He was ogling Haruhi's chest," Hikaru chimed in, having caught the lowered gaze of Nekozawa and the embarrassed expression that followed. So maybe the guy wasn't _ogling_, but he had definitely been looking. However, the exaggeration provided the desired reaction.

"WHAT?!" Tamaki bellowed, having been totally oblivious to such an event ever occurring.

"Haruhi," Kyoya said, ignoring the blond's outburst as he addressed the girl, "if you manage to keep your true gender a secret, I will reduce your debt by a third."

"But," Haruhi replied, momentarily shutting her wide, chocolate eyes, "wouldn't my debt be gone if my gender was revealed?"

Kyoya smirked at that, replying, "You still owe the club a considerable amount of money. Although you wouldn't be able to serve as a host, you would continue to be indebted to us. I believe you can still recall your time as the club's lackey, can you not?"

_'Pure evil,'_ Haruhi thought to herself. She didn't miss the flicker of light that slid across Kyoya's glasses as he continued to smirk at her.

The twins smiled at their "toy" mischievously. Oh, she was fun as a host, but as their lackey? Maybe they should just reveal her to Nekozawa as a female. Then again, she wouldn't be just _their_ lackey. She'd be everyone else's lackey, too. And that idea didn't bode very well with the brothers.

Hikaru tossed a dark glance at the ever-stoic senior while Kaoru's eyes trailed over to the blond haired club president who had yet to cease in his pacing. Having her as the _club's_ lackey would definitely not do.

"Fine," Haruhi solemnly complied. She had no desire to return to the days of her being stuck as the club's "dog." If she had to continue on in that manner of service, she would, without a doubt, still be in the club well through her college years. At least, as a host, she'd most likely be free of their eccentricities by the time she graduated from Ouran.

Kyoya felt his lips twist upward. He was giving her his professional smile. He usually reserved the facial expression for those that he held business with. It was crisp, insincere, and almost threatening. The gesture sent chills down the girl's spine. Whenever he smiled at her like that, it always made her feel like she was dealing with the devil rather than a high school student. For all she knew, the Shadow King could easily match the criteria.

"Now then! Seeing as that's settled, is anyone up for a late lunch?" Kyoya inquired in a more pleasant tone. Haruhi, who should have been used to the dramatic changes in the "cool-type's" behavior, was still momentarily stunned by how his icy smile seemed to melt away.

Haruhi's stomach voiced her reply as it emitted a low growl. She had eaten very early in the morning, but not since then. Even though Kyoya had offered her some of his popcorn during the movie, she hadn't been willing to chance another addition to her debt. Not only that, but the twins and Hunny had pinned her to her seat throughout the whole movie.

"Oh, my poor daughter!" Tamaki proclaimed, having overheard the sound, "Don't fret, for daddy will ensure that you are well nourished!"

"Perhaps we need to contact child services. My lord isn't doing a good job at taking care of Haruhi," Kaoru said.

"Yeah," Hikaru agreed, "first the movie, and then laser tag, and now this?"

"We're _much_ better suited to take care of Haruhi," the twins chorused together before lowering their voices, "we can _easily_ fulfill her needs." Hikaru snuggled Haruhi's cheek while Kaoru gave the crimson-faced Tamaki a lazy smile.

Kyoya coughed, interrupting their moment and sparing himself the trouble of another headache, "If anyone wishes to change into a more comfortable outfit before lunch, we can meet at the banquet hall in fifteen minutes."

"Come on, Takashi," Hunny said as he jumped to his feet. The two cousins trailed out of the room; Takashi ducking under the doorway as he followed the smaller senior towards their room. Hunny had an exuberant smile on his face as he thought of all of the sugary sweets that awaited him.

Kyoya grabbed onto Tamaki's shirt's collar and proceeded to drag the blond behind him. He tossed over his shoulder, just as he was about to close the door, "Don't be late." He also added in another spine-chilling smile just for good measure before promptly slamming the door in his wake.

Finally, just the three of them, the twins shot each other knowing smiles.

"So Haruhi," purred Kaoru.

"Yes?" she asked. She was either ignoring his newly adopted tone of voice or she was just oblivious to the fact of whether it even mattered or not. Knowing her, it was most likely the latter.

"Now that we're alone," Kaoru continued, "we can have you all to ourselves."

"For another fourteen minutes," Haruhi replied dryly as she caught a glimpse of the time from over the twin's shoulder. It was just after one o'clock, and she did not want to find out as to what Kyoya had in store for the three if they were late.

"Don't either of you want to change?" Haruhi asked after a moment of being the recipient of a multitude of snuggling and nuzzling from the twins.

Hikaru smiled wryly and whispered against the nape of her neck, "We want to change _you_."

Kaoru copied his twin's smile, "Whatever shall we dress you in?"

"Whatever it would be," Haruhi stated, "would only be a waste of clothing. I haven't been wearing this dress too long."

Hikaru wrinkled his nose distastefully, "Why _wouldn't_ you want to change out of it? You've already worn it for half the day. Don't you know that you should change clothes at least three times a day?"

"Why should I?" Haruhi inquired.

"Exercise, school, business, going around town, house-ware, meetings, appointments," Kaoru ticked off each category on his fingers.

"That hardly seems necessary," she deadpanned, but was really thinking, _'Rich bastards.'_

Hikaru and Kaoru rolled their eyes at her.

"Besides, you've probably got dirt and sweat all over you," Kaoru stated, referring to her time spent playing laser tag.

"You should be glad that we're not dumping you in the bathtub," Hikaru added.

She shrugged the comment off, wishing their restrictive arms would fall away too.

"But if you want," Kaoru put in suggestively.

Hikaru finished his brother's offer, "we wouldn't mind joining you."

Haruhi was only too use to their ridiculous comments and merely brushed them off. She slid out of their three-person embrace and made her way to the drawer.

"Fine," Haruhi stated, "I'll change."

"Need help?" Hikaru offered, but the two reclaimed their positions at her side and were digging through the drawer before she could turn them away.

Kaoru pulled out a lacy pair of panties and dangled them in front of her face. He gave her a wicked smile, but she ignored it and took the white gaucho pants and purple tank top that Hikaru held out to her.

"And no," Haruhi said as she made her way to the bathroom, "I don't need your help on this."

With that, she closed the bathroom door on the two Hitachiin brothers and hoped that Kyoya wouldn't mind too much if they were just _a little_ late.


	18. Chapter 18

Haruhi and the twins claimed their empty seats at the familiar table in the banquet hall two minutes before the designated meeting time. All of their fellow club members were already in attendance, having started on their meals in the absence of one wide-eyed scholarship student and two havoc-wreaking twins.

Mitsukuni and Takashi sat side-by-side as the blond eagerly enjoyed a slice of cake. The dark-haired senior cut off another section of the chocolate delicacy and placed it onto a separate plate. He was waiting for the proper moment to swoop in and replace his cousin's dish, all the while still managing to enjoy his own slice of cake. It was a routine that he had perfected after the many years of being in his cousin's service.

Tamaki, who sat next to Kyoya, was speaking in a mixture of Japanese and French as he rambled on about the wonderful French foods that were provided on the cruise ship. Apparently, the only words that could properly justify the food belonged to the blond's native language.

Kyoya was not even mildly interested by the conversation as he sipped at his soup. It was extra spicy, just as the Shadow King liked it. The flavor always seemed to capture the rest of his senses, letting him concentrate on his burning taste buds rather than his friend's pointless chatter. Not that Kyoya would ever share with anyone else the reason as to why he enjoyed the incredibly spicy dishes as much as he did.

Hikaru beckoned over an idle waiter who rushed over to take their orders. Hikaru and Kaoru placed three orders of the same meal and also asked for three glasses of water. Having scribbled down the items, the waiter gave a quick bow and shot off in the direction of the kitchen.

"My lord," Hikaru said, "where are you taking us to next?"

Tamaki paused his ramblings and looked over to the twin that had spoken.

"It better not be another movie," Kaoru drawled.

The "prince-type" had definitely not been thinking about another movie.

"Yeah," Hikaru added with a grin, "poor Haruhi might be up all night."

Kaoru smiled mischievously at his brother's suggestive comment, "Thankfully Hikaru and I will be there to keep her company."

The twins were nuzzling Haruhi's face (unenthusiastic expression and all) once more as Tamaki spluttered and tried to form a series of comprehensible words. Kyoya, sensing the trouble that might ensue, swiftly stomped on the blond's foot to keep him quiet.

"Mother!" Tamaki whined as he turned to the "cool-type" with a pathetic gaze, "our sons aren't being very nice to their sister."

"You can put us all on time out," chorused the twins as they leered at the blond from across the table, daring him to retaliate.

Haruhi sighed, wishing the day would just end. If not end, she at least hoped she would have some time to explore the library that she had passed earlier in her exploration of the ship.

The waiter came by, dropping off their food and beverages. The waiter provided one final bow before he was rushing off to assist the group at the table behind the Host Club's.

The twins had ordered the three of them each a plate consisting of chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. Hungry and glad that they weren't making her try any more unfamiliar foods, Haruhi cut herself a slice. She brought the fork to her lips, letting it slide into her mouth. She found herself immensely enjoying the taste of the flavorful food.

"So cute," she heard Tamaki murmur from across the table. Looking up from her plate, Haruhi immediately spotted the watery eyes that were threatening to flood the table. It wasn't just him either. Hunny had joined the "prince-type" and, with a quick glance to each side, she could see the twins doing the same.

"Haru-chan!" wailed Hunny.

"Poor Haruhi!" the twins cried out, "She's so enamored by the rich tasting meal that she otherwise can't have on a daily basis!"

"Poor Haruhi!" Tamaki, the twins, and Hunny lamented together.

"If I wasn't so hungry," Haruhi said as she cut herself another slice of chicken, "I would most likely lose my appetite from the looks you four are giving me."

Tamaki patted his misty eyes dry with his napkin, proclaiming, "I will ensure that my daughter is well taken care of from now on. She shall be provided only the best meals!"

"Not necessary," Haruhi deadpanned.

"And we shall make sure that she will never again be dressed in commoner rags!" the twins voiced, ignoring her.

"Again," Haruhi stated, "that is unnecessary."

"And I'll make sure that she'll always have all the cake that she could ever want!" Hunny added.

"I don't even like sweet things."

Hunny teared up a bit at that, but Takashi placed a comforting hand on his cousin's head.

"You're right, Takashi!" Hunny exclaimed, interpreting the swordsman's silence, "we'll make sure we're always there to protect Haruhi!"

Kyoya felt his lips twist upward into an amused smile at his fellow club member's antics. Haruhi looked like she was ready to just jump overboard and swim home.

"Tamaki," Kyoya said, capturing the blond's attention. His friend looked like her was going to scoot next to Haruhi and start feeding her.

"Hm?"

"You never answered the twin's question. Tell them what you have planned for us next," Kyoya said.

The blond immediately perked up at his friend's suggestion. Haruhi's relieved expression did not go unnoticed by the youngest Ootori son as Tamaki exclaimed, "I was thinking we could play a game of volleyball on the deck!"

The twins looked at each other, mentally agreeing on their answer.

"Nah," Kaoru and Hikaru said in perfect unison.

Tamaki looked a bit forlorn at their decline and he flashed them his puppy eyes.

"That doesn't work on us anymore, my lord," Kaoru said.

"How about indoor soccer?" Tamaki asked.

"No," the twins deadpanned.

"Softball?"

"No."

"Gymnastics?"

The twins rolled their eyes.

Hunny inquired, "What's with all the sports, Tama-chan?"

"My lord just wants to flaunt his manliness in front of Haruhi," Kaoru said with a secretive smile.

"He already got his chance during the movie," Hikaru added in, recalling how their club president had probably been the worse of them all during the film.

"And laser tag," Kaoru supplied, thinking of how low the blond had scored in the game.

"That's not it!" the club president defended himself with a blush staining his cheeks, "I just think we should do something more active!"

Kyoya, who had found laser tag active enough, did not support his friend's idea of playing a sport. He was not one to indulge in the extensive use of energy. Especially when it held no merits for him.

It was at that moment in which Mitsukuni let off a soft yawn and his eyes seemed to droop. He let his fork, still with remnants of frosting on it, clatter against the plate covered in crumbs.

"Uh-oh," Kaoru whispered, immediately grabbing onto Haruhi's side. Hikaru followed suit, slowly backing the girl and his brother away from the table.

"Mitsukuni," Takashi stated in his somber, expressionless voice, "time for your nap."

Hunny barely managed to nod in agreement as his body went slack against his cousin's words.

"We need to get out of here," Kaoru mouthed to his twin.

Hikaru agreed and they quickly carted Haruhi away before any of the other member's could say otherwise.

Tamaki was about to burst out into protest, but Kyoya quickly stood up and slapped his napkin into the blond's mouth.

"Have a nice nap," Kyoya bid politely in an even tone to the departing seniors. Takashi had slung Mitsukuni over his shoulder and was striding towards the door amidst the sea of tables and important people who were too wrapped up in their fancy words to pay any attention to the somber giant and the childlike blond that passed by.

Kyoya gave his friend a quick glance, watching as the blond withdrew the napkin from his mouth and tossed it carelessly onto the table.

"Mother," Tamaki stated in an elegant tone, "your constant abuse leads me to believe that we need to come up with a different method of dealing with our domestic disputes."

Had Kyoya had another napkin in hand, he would have gladly stuffed it down the blond's throat once more. However, he was lacking said item at the moment.

"Let's go," Kyoya said before trailing off towards the doors, Tamaki in tow.

When Tamaki finally managed to catch up with his dark-haired friend, he was murmuring something about gymnastics and two little imps. Kyoya decided it was best not to ask.


	19. Chapter 19

For two minutes and thirty-eight seconds, Haruhi's world was a whirlwind of color, hallways, and two identical twins that thought dragging her was far more effective (and much more entertaining) than letting her have access to her legs. For two minutes and thirty-eight seconds, she was left without a clue as to where they were going because of the speed that the twins had decided to travel at.

And finally, at two minutes and thirty-nine seconds, Haruhi found herself wondering, once again, just where exactly the indoor amusement park really was on the very eccentric cruise ship.

She had passed by the "gift shop" earlier that day for neither her nor Takashi had held any great interest in dropping by to further investigate. The glass doors had provided a decent enough view as they passed by the shopping complex during their exploration of the ship. Now, as she stood in front of the wide, transparent doors, she was beginning to wonder how it was that she kept underestimating anything and everything whenever those "rich bastards" were concerned.

Two men, both clad in matching white tuxedos, held the glass doors open for the three youngest members of the Host Club. The twins, who seemed to never grow tired of dragging their favorite toy around, proceeded to pull Haruhi through the doorway and into the shopping complex where several other guests were already wandering in and out of the many stores with shopping bags hanging loosely from their arms.

In the center of the "gift shop" was a large fountain spouting water from a professionally chiseled angel sculpture. Surrounding the pricey looking piece of art was a garden full of colorful flowers and some of the greenest grass she'd ever seen. And, being a student at Ouran High School, she had seen a lot of green grass. There were even chairs and tables set up around the area, serving as an "outdoor" café to guests that needed a break from their tedious shopping expeditions in favor of an iced tea or latte.

"Come on, Haruhi," Kaoru said, tugging on her arm.

She looked at him with a dull gaze which was more or less ignored by the two twins as they pulled her over to a store she did not recognize the name of. She could only assume it was a designer's store, but she didn't shop for designer clothing. She didn't even shop for clothes in general. Her father had long ago taken up the duty of purchasing his daughter's clothes and accessories, tired of the unfashionable and drab wares that she would otherwise pick out for herself.

"You don't know the importance of fashion!" her father would claim.

"It was on clearance," she'd reply.

And although he'd buy her frilly dresses and skirts and blouses, she'd never complain because he was right. She didn't see anything important about fashion and she didn't care what she was dressed in.

Unfortunately for the studious bookworm, two twins were currently focused on the task of introducing her to their world which consisted of summer dresses, spring lines, and a whole week dedicated to fashion.

Hikaru and Kaoru dragged their female companion into the store, strutting around like they (the twins) owned the place. Haruhi wouldn't have been surprised if they did.

There were leather couches and chairs placed conveniently around the store. Fur rugs rested comfortably against the wooden floor. There were paintings, no doubt expensive, hanging in different areas around the room; some even located above a lit fireplace. If there hadn't been racks upon racks of expertly designed clothing organized with a professionals touch, Haruhi was sure the store could have passed as a lounge.

"Let's play a game," Hikaru said as soon as he and his brother had deposited Haruhi into one of the wide, leather chairs.

"O-oh," Kaoru grinned in agreement at his brother's suggestion, "I bet I know what game you're thinking of."

"But of course," Hikaru replied, flawlessly matching his twin's expression.

"Huh?" Haruhi inquired. The fireplace had drawn her attention, causing her to miss out on anything the twin's had been saying. She was wondering why they needed to use a fireplace and run the air conditioner at the same time, especially when the temperature was fine without either. Rich people never seemed to make any sense.

"It seems our toy's attention has drifted elsewhere," Kaoru said, zooming in closer to Haruhi's face.

"It seems you're right," Hikaru said, pressing his cheek against his brother's.

Haruhi, who was totally unaffected by their proximity, only looked at them with a bored expression. She really wanted to just go to the library. It's not like she needed any more clothes. With the clothes that she had originally packed for the trip and the clothes that the twins had brought along for her, she was sure that she had enough to last her for at least two months. Deciding to voice her thoughts on the matter, the twins only looked at her with an equally dull gaze.

"We're not here to _buy_ clothes," they chorused together.

"Then why are we here?" Haruhi asked, mentally adding on, _'When I could be doing something that's actually of interest to me.' _

"Because," Hikaru huffed, "we're going to play a game."

"...That involves being in a store?"

The twins, realizing that she was starting to catch on, nodded enthusiastically.

Haruhi looked at them for a moment, a thoughtful expression having invaded her features. Hikaru and Kaoru could practically see the gears turning in her head as they waited in anticipation for her reply.

"I see."

Unaffected by her lack of enthusiasm, the twins launched into their explanation of "The Bad, The Ugly, and The Needs To Be Burned."

"First," Kaoru instructed, "you pick an article of clothing."

Hikaru demonstrated by selecting a leopard-print coat.

Kaoru continued, "And then you point out everything wrong with it."

Haruhi looked at the coat and found nothing wrong with it except for the price tag.

The twins, however, found everything about the coat to be _wrong_, _wrong_, _wrong_.

"The buttons are disgusting," Hikaru said.

"Horrible," Kaoru agreed.

Haruhi looked at the buttons. She didn't care about the size, shape, color, style, or anything else about the buttons. They were buttons. They were meant to keep a person bundled up. Who cares if they were overly large and square-shaped (which was _so_ last fall)?

"Leopard-print went out of style two years ago," Kaoru added.

Haruhi wondered what her chances of sneaking off without the twins noticing were.

"The stitching on the sleeves is poorly done."

She gazed longingly at the store's exit.

"Who would use cuffs with leopard-print?"

She even considered faking an illness.

"Maybe my lord could use this for that zoo cosplay he had in mind."

And it went on. And on. And on.

And when they were finally done insulting the coat, and Haruhi thought she was finally free of their nonsense, the twins had merely selected another item to further degrade.

"Would you like to model this for us?" the twins asked with a wild grin as they held up a shockingly see-through dress.

"No," Haruhi replied.

"Aw," they pouted.

Haruhi rolled her eyes.

After scrutinizing a pair of pants, another three dresses, and two more coats, Haruhi noticed that the twins had drawn a considerable amount of people with their game. She heard murmurs of "Hitachiin" and "good eye" and "their mother would be proud."

She also heard murmurs of "girl friend (girlfriend)," but was oblivious to the pointed fingers directed at her and the identical grins that had crept up onto the twin's faces.

After having insulted a blazer and another pair of pants, the twins decided to drag Haruhi out of the store and towards the "outdoor" café. As they passed, the crowd that they had drawn parted for them with wide eyes and curious glances (mostly directed at Haruhi who was oblivious all the while.)

The café, thankfully, wasn't crowded. There were a considerable amount of unoccupied tables and chairs still available and a handful of waitresses and waiters rested idly against the counter of the café, wearing white aprons over pressed suits.

Hikaru, Kaoru chose the table farthest away from everyone else, placing Haruhi in one of the chairs before scooting their's closer. Satisfied with the new proximity, the twins beckoned over one of the waitresses to take their orders.

"Hi," the waitress greeted with a blush, having found both the twins to be exceptionally cute, "can I get you anything?"

"Three orange juices," Hikaru said, flashing her an extremely charming smile. The waitress almost tripped over herself as she turned away to fulfill their orders.

"I thought this was supposed to be a break from Host Club duties," Haruhi said dryly.

Hikaru shrugged his shoulders, "Just wanted to see her expression."

"Is Haruhi jealous?" Kaoru cooed.

Haruhi looked at him.

"Don't worry," Hikaru put in, "we love you more."

Kaoru stiffened at his brother's comment.

Hikaru froze, having realized what he had just said.

Haruhi, who didn't seem to notice the tension between the two brothers, merely smiled politely at the waitress as she placed the three glasses of orange juice in front of each of them.

"Thank you," Haruhi said to the waitress. The waitress was once more focused on the two twins that sat next to the girl, ignoring her comment and her in general.

"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked, directing the question at the twins.

"No," the twins said coolly, more or less dismissing the waitress with the word.

She cast one last look at the brothers before joining her coworkers at the front of the café. They were, without a doubt, talking about how lucky she was for being able to speak to the two cute twins and also trying to figure out which brother the girl was dating.

"Are you two alright?" Haruhi inquired, having noticed that the brothers had yet to touch, let alone acknowledge, their orange juice.

"Uh, yeah," Kaoru covered, immediately grabbing hold of his drink and taking a sip.

Haruhi continued to drink her juice, looking around every so often at the wandering guests and giggling waitresses. She missed out on the looks that the twins were sending each other above her head.

While she had always been oblivious when it came to feelings and emotions, the brothers didn't know whether to be insanely grateful or incredibly frustrated as they finished off their orange juice and paid for the drinks.

Hikaru was beginning to believe it was the latter.


End file.
